Recombinant kynurenine-3-hydroxylase enzyme and process for its preparation

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides an isolated polynucleotide encoding for the kynurenine-3-hydrolase (Kyn-3-OHase) and methods of transiently expressing thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns DNA sequences encoding for kynurenine-3-hydroxylase (kyn-3-OHase).

This enzyme is a flavin-containing monooxygenase which is localized in the outer mitochondrial membrane (Okamoto H., Yamamoto S., Nozaki M. and Hayaishi O. 1967. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 26: 309-314); it catalyses the 3 hydroxylation of L-kynurenine (L-kyn), an intermediate in the oxidative metabolism of tryptophan (DeCastro F. T., Price J. M. and Brown R. R., 1956. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 78: 2900-2904).

The kynurenine pathway (see the scheme below) is the major route of peripheral tryptophan metabolism in mammals: most of this metabolism takes place in the liver. The abbreviations used are the following: IDO, Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase; TDO, Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase; ED, 3-hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-dioxygenase; QPRT, Quinolinate phosphoribosyltransferase; ATP, Adenosine 5'-triphosphate; NAD, Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; NMN, Nicotinamide mononucleotide. ##STR1##

This pathway not only provides a route for total oxidation of tryptophan to acetyl-Co-A, but it is also responsible for the synthesis de novo of the nicotinamide nucleotide coenzymes NAD and NADP (Bender D. A. and McCreanor G. M. 1985. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 13:441-443).

Most of the current interest in this pathway arises from the observations that two intermediate metabolites, kynurenic acid (KYNA) and quinolinic acid (QUIN), seem to play a significant role in neurological diseases, the first acting as a neuroprotectant and the second as a neurotoxic agent. Kyn-3-OHase is the first enzyme in the route of production of QUIN.

The importance of QUIN as a neurotoxic agent was first evident from work by Lapin (1978. J. Neural. Trans. 42:37-43) who demonstrated that the administration of QUIN to rats caused convulsions. This was not sufficient to classify QUIN as a neurotoxin; its action in the central nervous system was better clarified when electrophysiological studies revealed that it was an agonist at the excitatory amino acid receptor sites normally activated by glutamate and aspartate (Stone T. W. and Perkins M. N., 1981. Eur J. Pharmacol. 72: 411-412).

Moreover, using the intrastriatal injection model, QUIN toxicity has been shown to be mediated through the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (Beal M., Kowall N., Swartz K. J., Ferrante R. J. and Martin J. B. 1989. J. Neurosci. 8: 3901-3908; Foster A. C., Gill R. and Woodruff G. N. 1988. J. Neurosci. 8: 4745-4754). Consistent with the involvment of NMDA receptors were the studies that showed reversal of QUIN-induced damage pathology by competitive NMDA antagonists (Foster A. C., Vezzani A., French E. D. and Schwarcz R. 1984. Neurosci. Lett. 48: 273-278; Leeson P. D., Baker R., Carling R. W., Curtis N. R., Moore K. W., Williams B. J. et al. 1991. J. Med. Chem. 34: 1243-1252).

It is becoming clear that some of the most important functions of the nervous system, such as synaptic plasticity and synapse formation, critically depend on the behavior of NMDA receptor channels and that neurological damages caused by a variety of pathological states can result from exaggerated activation of NMDA receptor channels (For a review see: Mori H. and Mishina M. 1995. Neuropharmacology 34: 1219-1237). Excessive activation of these receptors may play an important role in the neuronal injury associated with several disease states, including hypoxia-ischemia (Simon R. P., Swan J. H., Griffiths T. and Meldrum B. A. 1984. Science 226: 850-852), hypoglycemia (Wieloch T. 1985. Science 230: 681-683) and Huntington's disease (Schwarcz R., Whetsell W. O. Jr. and Mangano R. M. 1983. Science 219: 316-318. Koh J. Y., Peters S. and Choi D. W. 1986. Science 234: 73-76).

Assuming that QUIN is pathogenic for certain disorders, it is desirable to inhibit its formation. To accomplish this goal, knowledge must be gained about the enzymes that make QUIN and the sites at which the pathway is controlled.

In theory, QUIN could be formed in the brain in several ways (see the Kynurenine pathway above): from tryptophan, as in macrophages and in liver, or from kynurenine or 3-hydroxykynurenine which, having been formed peripherally, cross the blood-brain barrier to undergo final conversion to QUIN by brain kyn-3-OHase, kynureninase and 3-hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-dioxygenase (in contrast peripherally formed 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid enters the brain very poorly).

The optimal target for the design of inhibitors should be the rate limiting step through the pathway. Enzymatic studies in vitro on all the currently known enzymes along the two branches of the pathway have revealed that kyn-3-OHase, kynureninase and quinolinate phosphorybosiltransferase (see the kynurenine pathway) could contribute to determine the cerebral QUIN levels, though it is still unclear which of these enzymes is most effective in the normal brain and under pathological conditions. Studies on QUIN level, after administration to mice of different precursors (Erickson J. B., Flanagan E. M., Chang S. Y., Salter M. and Reinhard J. F. Jr. 1992. Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 18: 442.) showed that brain and serum QUIN arise from qualitatively similar pathways. However, brain QUIN appears to be controlled heavily at the kyn-3-OHase step. As a consequence of these studies kyn-3-Ohase can be considered an important enzyme target for inhibition of QUIN biosynthesis.

Furthermore, being the first enzyme in the route of production of QUIN, the inhibition of kyn-3-OHase could lead to an accumulation of KYNA, the neuroprotectant metabolite of the pathway.

KYNA is an effective excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist with a particularly high affinity to the glycine modulatory site. (J. Neurochem., 52, 1319-1328, 1989). As a naturally occurring brain metabolite (J. Neurochem., 51, 177-180, 1988 and Brain Res., 454, 164-169, 1988), KYNA probably serves as a negative endogenous modulator of cerebral glutamatergic function (Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 11, 290-296,1990); while applied directly into the brain, it exhibits anticonvulsant and neuroprotective properties (Neurosci. Lett. 48: 273-278. 1984).

In confirmation of all these data kyn-3-OHase inhibitors have recently been successfully applied to demonstrate for the first time, in the rat brain in vivo, the functional interdependence of the two branches of the kynurenine pathway by shifting cerebral metabolism towards an enhanced production of KYNA (Neuroscience 61: 237-244. 1994; Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 21, 436.3. 1995).

In particular, systemic administration of the new and potent kyn-3-OHase inhibitor (R,S)-3,4-dichlorobenzoylalanine (FCE 28833) (see also Example 3b) causes a dose-dependent elevation in endogenous kynurenine and KYNA levels in rat brain tissue (Speciale et al. Eur. J. of Pharmacology, vol. 315, p.263-267, 1996).

These chemicals clearly hold great promise as research tools and may also harbor therapeutic potential since a decrease in brain QUIN and a concomitant increase in brain KYNA could be clinically desirable.

Moreover variants of the kyn-3-OHase enzyme could be present in different tissues and organs, and may constitute a possible target to develop more specific drugs.

In this perspective it is fundamental to clone the gene encoding for kyn-3-OHase, so that the protein can be studied from a molecular point of view and the recombinant enzyme can be obtained in reasonable quantity for further studies.

The purification of the enzyme and at least the partial sequence of the protein are the first steps to design degenerate oligonucleotides and to proceed with the cloning of the gene in a conventional hybridization way.

In 1975 Nisimoto et al. described the isolation of kyn-3-OHase from the mitochondrial outer membrane of rat liver in a 5 steps purification procedure (Nisimoto Y., Takeuchi F. and Shibata Y. 1975. J. Biochem. 78: 573-581). They described the isolation of a single homogeneus protein with a molecular weight of 200,000 Da and an isoelectric point of pH 5.4. The purified enzyme had a specific activity of 140 nmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ and an overall yield of 0.04%. In 1979, the same authors reported a 3 steps purification procedure with a better overall yield but a lower specific activity (Nisimoto et al. J. of Chromatography 169: 357-364. 1979).

More recently any attempts to reproduce these results, also from our biochemistry laboratories, have been unsuccessful; this is probably due to an instability of the enzyme during purification that do not allow a further analysis of its amino acidic sequence, thus precluding the possibility to adopt a conventional cloning approach.

Therefore, there is the need to set up an alternative cloning procedure and the invention aims to achieve this goal. According to the invention the problem is solved through the functional expression cloning in Xenopus laevis oocytes; this method is particularly useful to overcome the inconveniences deriving from the isolation of the protein by biochemical methods.

The functional expression cloning was first pioneered by Noma et al. (Noma Y., Sideras P., Naito T., Bergstedt-Lindquist S., Azuma C., Severinson E., Tanabe T., Kinashui T., Matsuda P., Yaoita Y. and Honjo T. 1986. Nature 319: 640-646.) and has been rapidly applied to the cloning of several plasma membrane proteins.

The strategy of functional expression cloning can be summarised as follow: functional expression, obtained with total mRNA from a given source, confirms the presence of mRNA coding for the protein of interest. The mRNA can then be fractionated according to size, the active fraction identified, and, after reverse transcription, used for the generation of a cDNA library. This library is then transcribed into polyadenylated cRNA, capped and expressed in the Xenopus oocytes. Subsequent appearance of the function in the oocytes confirms the presence of a full length clone (or at least a consistent functional part of it) in the library.

Functional expression cloning has the advantage over classical strategies in that the danger of sequencing "false positive" clones, due to cross reactivity of antibodies or nucleotide probes, can be avoided. Furthermore, most of the times full-length clones will directly be obtained (Sigel E. 1990. J. Membrane Biol. 117: 201-221).

Once cloned, the kyn-3-OHase cDNA obtained from a given source can be used to prepare probes for the screening of libraries derived from a different organisms. In this way, the expert in the art will recognize that, on the basis of the information provided herein, enzymes homologous to the ones specifically disclosed herein can be readily identified.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses the functional expression-cloning of rat kynurenine-3-hydroxylase and the molecular cloning of human kynurenine-3-hydroxylase.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides an isolated single or double stranded polynucleotide, typically DNA, having a nucleotide sequence which comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) the sense sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1 from about nucleotide position 45 to about nucleotide position 1481; the sense sequence of SEQ ID NO. 3 from about nucleotide position 34 to about nucleotide position 1494; (b) sequences complementary to the sequence of (a); (c) sequences that, on expression, encode polypeptides encoded by the sequence of (a); (d) analogous sequences that hybridize under stringent conditions to the sequences of (a) and (b); and (e) sequences homologous to the sequences of (a) that, on expression, encode polypeptides having kynurenine-3-hydroxylase activity.

A preferred embodiment is a DNA molecule. In another embodiment, the polynucleotide is an RNA molecule.

In another aspect, a DNA molecule of the present invention is contained in an expression vector. The expression vector preferably further comprises an enhancer-promoter operatively linked to the polynucleotide. In a preferred embodiment, the DNA molecule in the vector is the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1 from about nucleotide position 45 to about nucleotide position 1481. In another preferred embodiment the DNA molecule in the vector is the sequence of SEQ ID NO. 3 from about nucleotide position 34 to about nucleotide position 1494.

The present invention still further provides for a host cell transformed with an expression vector of this invention. The host may be a prokaryotic or a eukaryotic cell. Example of a preferred prokaryotic host cell is E. coli, whereas, among the eukaryotic cells, preferred hosts are yeast, insect or mammalian cells. Xenopus laevis oocytes transiently expressing the kyn-3-OHase enzyme are also part of the present invention.

In a still further aspect the invention provides an isolated and purified recombinant kyn-3-OHase which is coded for by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) the sense sequence of SEQ ID NO. 1 from about nucleotide position 45 to about nucleotide position 1481; the sense sequence of SEQ ID NO. 3 from about nucleotide position 34 to about nucleotide position 1494; (b) a sequence complementary to the sequence of (a); (c) a sequence that, on expression, encodes a polypeptide encoded by the sequence of (a); (d) analogous sequences that hybridize under stringent conditions to the sequences of (a) and (b); and (e) sequences homologous to the sequences of (a) that, on expression, encode polypeptides having kynurenine-3-hydroxylase activity.

Furthermore, the invention provides a recombinant process for the transient expression of kyn-3-OHase, which process comprises extracting total mRNA from the tissues of a mammalian organism; generating a cDNA expression library by reverse transcription of the said mRNA; obtaining RNA in vitro from the said cDNA library; injecting the RNA into Xenopus oocytes; measuring the enzymatic activity; dividing the said library into several pools; selecting the positive clone; linearizing the plasmid DNA extracted from the positive clone; synthesizing the cRNA from said DNA; injecting the said cRNA into Xenopus laevis oocytes thus obtaining expression of kyn-3-OHase enzyme.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Protein alignment between the deduced amino acid sequence of K3OH clone (SEQ ID NO:2) and the deduced amino acid sequence of YBJ8₋₋ YEAST (SEQ ID NO:9).

FIG. 2. Northern blot hybridization using K3OH cDNA as probe. Lane 1, heart; 2, brain; 3, spleen; 4, lung; 5, liver; 6, skeletal muscle; 7, kidney; 8, testis. mRNA species of 2 kb from rat liver, kidney and testis strongly hybridize with the K3OH probe; the signal obtained with testis is much less intense. In all the three tissues a 4.3 kb transcript which hybridize with K3OH probe is also present but the signal is less intense.

FIG. 3. In vitro translation of K3OH cRNA. Lane 1, K3OH clone; 2, negative control. Two translation products are present: the upper band (˜55,000 kDa) corresponds to a protein with the predicted molecular weight, the lower (˜30,000 kDa) could be a partial translation product, due to a second ATG codon in frame, partially recognised as starting codon.

FIG. 4. Nucleotide alignment between the common portion of the sequences (nucleotides 1-1628 of SEQ ID NO:3 and nucleotides 1-1650 of SEQ ID NO:5); of the two human K3OH clones obtained by screening of a human liver cDNA library.

FIG. 5. Protein alignment between the deduced amino acid sequences of rat (SEQ ID NO:2) and human (SEQ ID NO:6) K3OH clones.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides isolated and purified polynucleotides that encode the enzyme kynurenine-3-hydroxylase (kyn-3-OHase), vectors containing these polynucleotides, host cells transformed with these vectors, a process of making the kyn-3-OHase using the above polynucleotides and vectors, and isolated and purified recombinant kyn-3-OHase.

For the purposes of the present invention as disclosed and claimed herein, the following is to be considered. The amino acid sequences are presented in the amino to carboxy direction, from left to right. The amino and carboxy groups are not presented in the sequence.

The nucleotide sequences are presented by single strand only, in the 5' to 3' direction, from left to right.

Nucleotides and amino acids are represented in the manner recommended by the IUPAC-IUB Biochemical Nomenclature Commission, or (for amino acids) by three letters code.

In one aspect, the present invention provides isolated and purified polynucleotides that encode the enzyme kyn-3-OHase from rat and human. A polynucleotide of the present invention is an isolated single or double stranded polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence which comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

(a) the sense sequence of SEQ ID NO.1 from about nucleotide position 45 to about nucleotide position 1481; the sense sequence of SEQ ID NO. 3 from about nucleotide position 34 to about nucleotide position 1494;

(b) sequences complementary to the sequences of (a);

(c) a sequence that, on expression, encodes a polypeptide encoded by the sequences of (a);

(d) analogous sequences that hybridize under stringent conditions to the sequences of (a) and (b); and

(e) sequences homologous to the sequences of (a) that, on expression, encode polypeptides having kynurenine-3-hydroxylase activity.

A preferred polynucleotide is a DNA molecule. In another embodiment, the polynucleotide is an RNA molecule.

The nucleotide sequence and deduced amino acid sequence of the rat kyn-3-OHase gene is set forth in SEQ ID NO. 1. The nucleotide sequences of human kyn-3-OHase clones are set forth in SEQ ID NO. 3 and SEQ ID NO. 5. The nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO. 1, SEQ ID NO. 3 and SEQ ID NO. 5 represent full length DNA clones of the sense strand of kyn-3-OHase genes and are intended to represent both the sense strand (shown on top) and its complementary strand.

The present invention also contemplates analogous DNA sequences which hybridize under stringent conditions to the DNA sequences set forth above. Stringent hybridization conditions are well known in the art and define a degree of sequence identity greater than about 80% preferably greater than 90%. The term "analogous" refers to those nucleotide sequences that encode analogous polypeptides, analogous polypeptides being those which have only conservative differences and which retain the conventional characteristics and activities of kyn-3-OHase. The present invention also contemplates naturally occurring allelic variations and mutations of the DNA sequences set forth above so long as those variations and mutations code, on expression, for a kyn-3-OHase enzyme.

Moreover, the invention contemplates homologous DNA sequences that, on expression, encode polypeptides having kynurenine-3-hydroxylase activity. As used herein, "homologous DNA sequences" are those sequences characterized by an homology, at the nucleotide level, greater than about 50%, preferably greater than about 60%, more preserably greater than about 70%, in at least one functional domain of the encoded polypeptide, with respect to the corresponding region of the sequences disclosed in the present invention. Homologous DNA sequences include those sequences coding for isoforms of the kynurenine-3-hydroxylase enzyme encoded by the the DNA sequences set forth above. Such isoforms can be expressed in different tissues of the same organism as a result, e.g., of alternative splicing or because coded for by other genes.

Homologous DNA sequences are also those sequences coding for a kyn-3-OHase of any species of origin. Preferably the DNA sequences code for enzymes of mammalian origin; more preferably the DNA sequences code for the human kyn-3-OHase enzyme.

As is well known in the art, because of the degeneracy of the genetic code, there are numerous other DNA and RNA molecules that can code for the same polypeptide as that encoded by the aforementioned kyn-3-OHase genes. The present invention, therefore, contemplates those other DNA and RNA molecules which, on expression, encode the polypeptides of SEQ ID NO. 2, 4 and 6.

Having identified the amino acid residue sequence encoded by a kyn-3-OHase gene, and with knowledge of all triplet codons for each particular amino acid residue, it is possible to describe all such encoding RNA and DNA sequences. DNA and RNA molecules other than those specifically disclosed herein characterized simply by a change in a codon for a particular amino acid, are within the scope of this invention.

A table of amino acids and their representative abbreviations, symbols and codons is set forth below in the following Table.

    ______________________________________                                         Amino acid                                                                              Abbrev. Symbol  Codon(s)                                              ______________________________________                                         Alanine  Ala     A       GCA GCC GCG GCU                                         Cysteine Cys C UGA UGU                                                         Aspartic Asp D GAC GAU                                                         acid                                                                           Glutamic Glu E GAA GAG                                                         acid                                                                           Phenylalanine Phe F UUC UUU                                                    Glycine Gly G GGA GGC GGG GGU                                                  Histidine His H CAC CAU                                                        Isoleucine Ile I AUA AUC AUU                                                   Lysine Lys K AAA AAG                                                           Leucine Leu L UUA UUG CUA CUC CUG CUU                                          Methionine Met M AUG                                                           Asparagine Asn N AAC AAU                                                       Proline Pro P CCA CCC CCG CCU                                                  Glutamine Gln Q CAA CAG                                                        Arginine Arg R AGA AGG CGA CGC CGG CGU                                         Serine Ser S AGC AGU UCA UCC UCG UCU                                           Threonine Thr T ACA ACC ACG ACU                                                Valine Val V GUA GUC GUG GUU                                                   Tryptophan Trp W UGG                                                           Tyrosine Tyr Y UAC UAU                                                       ______________________________________                                    

As is well known in the art, codons constitute triplet sequences of nucletotides in mRNA molecules and, as such, are characterized by the base uracil (U) in place of base thymidine (T) (which is present in DNA molecules).

A simple change in a codon for the same amino acid residue within a polynucleotide will not change the structure of the encoded polypeptide.

The kyn-3-OHase enzymes of the present invention include proteins homologous to, and having essentially the same biological properties as, the proteins coded for by the nucleotide sequence herein disclosed. This definition is intended to encompass isoforms and natural allelic variants of kyn-3-OHase sequences.

With the knowledge of the sequence information disclosed in the present invention, the expert in the art can identify and obtain DNA sequences which encode the kyn-3-OHase enzyme from different sources (i.e. different tissues or different organisms) through a variety of means well known to him and disclosed by, for example, Maniatis et al., Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989).

For example DNA which encodes the kyn-3-OHase enzyme may be obtained by screening of mRNA, cDNA or genomic DNA with oligonucleotide probes generated from the kyn-3-OHase enzyme gene sequences information provided herein. Probes may be labeled with a detectable group such as a fluorescent group, a radioactive atom or a chemiluminescent group in accordance with known procedures and used in conventional hybridization assays, as described by, for example, Maniatis et al. Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989).

Kyn-3-OHase gene sequence may alternatively be recovered by use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure, with the PCR oligonucleotide primers produced from the kyn-3-OHase enzyme sequence provide herein. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,195 to Mullis et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,683,202 to Mullis. The PCR reaction provides a method for selectively increasing the concentration of a particular nucleic acid sequence even when that sequence has not been previously purified and is present only in a single copy in a particular sample. The method can be used to amplify either single- or double-stranded DNA. The essence of the method involves the use of two oligonucleotides probes to serve as primers for the template-dependent, polymerase mediated replication of a desired nucleic acid molecule.

The recombinant DNA molecules of the present invention can be produced through any of a variety of means well known to the experts in the art and disclosed by, for example, Maniatis et al. Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989). Example 5 describes one of the possible procedures which can be followed for this purpose.

In order to replicate the kyn-3-OHase enzyme DNA sequence, this must be cloned in an appropriate vector. A vector is a replicable DNA construct.

Vectors are used herein either to amplify DNA encoding the kyn-3-Ohase enzyme and/or to express DNA which encodes the kyn-3-OHase enzyme. An expression vector is a replicable DNA construct in which a DNA sequence encoding kyn-3-OHase enzyme is operably linked to suitable control sequences capable of effecting the expression of the kyn-3-OHase enzyme in a suitable host. DNA regions are operably linked when they are functionally related to each other. For example: a promoter is operably linked to a coding sequence if it controls the transcription of the sequence. Amplification vectors do not require expression control domains. All that is needed is the ability to replicate in a host, usually conferred by an origin of replication, and a selection gene to facilitate recognition of transformants.

DNA sequences encoding kyn-3-OHase enzyme may be recombined with vector DNA in accordance with conventional techniques, including blunt-ended or staggered-ended termini for ligation, restriction enzyme digestion to provide appropriate termini, filling in of cohesive ends as appropriate, alkaline phosphatase treatment to avoid undesiderable joining, and ligation with appropriate ligases. Techniques for such manipulation are disclosed by Maniatis et al. Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989) and are well known in the art.

Expression of the cloned sequence occurs when the expression vector is introduced into an appropriate host cell. If a prokaryotic expression vector is employed, then the appropriate host cell would be any prokaryotic cell capable of expressing the cloned sequences, for example E. coli. Similarly, if an eukaryotic expression vector is employed, then the appropriate host cell would be any eukaryotic cell capable of expressing the cloned sequence. A yeast host may be employed, for example S. cerevisiae. Alternatively, insect cells may be used, in which case a baculovirus vector system may be appropriate. Another alternative host is a mammalian cell line, for example COS-1 cells.

The need for control sequences into the expression vector will vary depending upon the host selected and the transformation method chosen. Generally, control sequences include a transcriptional promoter, an optional operator sequence to control transcription, a sequence encoding suitable mRNA ribosomal binding, and sequences which control the termination of transcription and translation. Vectors useful for practicing the present invention include plasmids, viruses (including phages), retroviruses, and integrable DNA fragments (i. e. fragments integrable into the host genome by homologous recombination). The vectors replicate and function independently of the host genome, or may, in some instances, integrate into the genome itself.

Expression vectors should contain a promoter which is recognized by the host organism. The promoter sequences of the present invention may be either prokaryotic, eukaryotic or viral. Example of suitable prokaryotic sequences include the P_(R) and P_(L) promoters of bacteriophage lambda (The bacteriophage Lambda, Hershey, A. D., Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1973); Lambda II, Hendrix, R. W., Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1980) ); the trp, recA, heat shock, and lacZ promoters of E. Coli and the SV40 early promoter (Benoist, C. et al. nature 290: 304-310 (1981)).

As far as the Shine Dalgarno sequence is concerned, preferred examples of suitable regulatory sequences are represented by the Shine-Dalgarno of the replicase gene of the phage MS-2 and of the gene cII of bacteriophage lambda. The Shine-Dalgarno sequence may be directly followed by the DNA encoding kyn-3-OHase and result in the expression of the mature kyn-3-OHase protein.

Alternatively, the DNA encoding kyn-3-OHase may be preceded by a DNA sequence encoding a carrier peptide sequence. In this case, a fusion protein is produced in which the N-terminus of kyn-3-OHase is fused to a carrier peptide, which may help to increase the protein expression levels and intracellular stability, and provide simple means of purification A preferred carrier peptide includes one or more of the IgG binding domains of protein A are easily purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography e. g. on IgG-coupled Sepharose. Alternatively, many vectors have the advantage of carrying a stretch of histidine residues that can be expressed at the N-terminal or C-terminal end of the target protein. Thus the protein of interest can be recovered by metal chelation chromatography (see the method described herein below under Example 5). A DNA sequence encoding a recognition site for a proteolytic enzyme such as enterokinase, factor X, procollagenase or thrombine may immediately precede the sequence for kyn-3-OHase to permit cleavage of the fusion protein to obtain the mature kyn-3-OHase protein.

Moreover, a suitable expression vector includes an appropriate marker which allows the screening of the transformed host cells. The transformation of the selected host is carried out using any one of the various techniques well known to the expert in the art and described in Maniatis et al. Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989).

One further embodiment of the invention is a prokaryotic host cell transformed with the said expression vector and able to produce, under appropriate culture conditions, the kyn-3-OHase of the invention.

A peculiar example of expression in eukaryotic cells is represented by Xenopus laevis oocytes. This system has also been used as a strategy to clone the DNA sequence of the present invention.

In this case the vector, which is not used to transform the cell, is linearized with an appropriate restriction enzyme and used for in vitro synthesis of cRNA, including capping, using RNA polymerase. Techniques for such manipulation are well known in the art; see for example Maniatis et al. Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989). The cRNA is then injected into the oocytes according to the procedure described herein under Example 1. These cells are capable of transiently expressing the functional enzyme and can be used to study the characteristics of variants of kyn-3-OHase and to test new compounds.

Moreover, cultures of cells derived from multicellular organisms are a desiderable host for recombinant kyn-3-OHase synthesis. In principal, any eukaryotic cell culture is workable, whether from vertebrate or invertebrate culture, including insect and mammalian cells. Propagation of such cells in cell culture has become a routine procedure. See Tissue Culture, Academic Press, Kruse and Patterson, eds. (1973). Examples of useful host cell lines are HeLa cells, CHO and COS cell lines. The transcriptional and translational control sequences in expression vectors to be used in transforming vertebrate and invertebrate cells are often provided by viral sources, for example, commonly used promoters are derived from Adenovirus 2, polyoma and SV40. See, e. g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,599, 308.

An origin of replication may be provided either by construction of the vector to include an exogenous origin or may be provided by the host cell chromosomal replication mechanism. If the vector is integrated into the host cell chromosome, the latter may be sufficient.

Rather than using vectors which contains viral origins of replication, one can transform mammalian cells by the method of cotransformation with a selectable marker and kyn-3-OHase DNA. An example of a suitable marker is dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) or thymidine kinase. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,216.

Cloned genes and vectors of the present invention are useful to transform cells which do not ordinarly express kyn-3-OHase to thereafter express this enzyme. Such cells are useful as intermediates for making recombinant kyn-3-OHase preparations useful for drug screening.

Furthermore, structural data deriving from the analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences of the DNAs of the present invention are useful to design new drugs, more specific and therefore with a higher pharmacological potency.

Sequence comparison of the two clones obtained by screening of the human liver cDNA library (SEQ ID NO. 3 and SEQ ID NO. 5) revealed 100% nucleotide homology in the coding region (FIG. 4) Notably, the cloned sequence in SEQ ID NO. 5 shows a huge 3' untraslated region that could contain regulatory elements and need further investigations.

Comparison between the deduced amino acid sequences of the rat Kyn3OHase (SEQ ID NO. 2) and the human Kyn3OHase (SEQ ID NOs. 2 and 6) showed 73% of identity (FIG. 5).

Comparison of the DNA sequences of the present invention with the sequences present in all the available data bases showed a significant homology with a portion of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genomic DNA (YBJ8₋₋ YEAST) (SEQ ID NO:9). This is a region containing a putative open reading frame of 1380 nucleotides corresponding to a hypothetical protein whose identity and function are so far unknown. FIG. 1 shows the protein alignment between rat Kyn3OHase (SEQ ID NO:2) and YBJ8₋₋ YEAST (SEQ ID NO:9), the two deduced amino acid sequences show 35% of homology. Rat Kyn3OHase and therefore human Kyn3OHase are also homologous to p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase, a flavoprotein whose crystal structure has been resolved (Schreuder, H. A., et al. 1988, J. Mol. Biol. 199, 637-648). The homology between these proteins resulted to be highly significant in the regions containing the putative binding sites for FAD and NADP. Computer modelling could be therefore used to develop a putative tertiary structure of Kyn-3-OHase based on the available information on p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase. This approach can help in designing novel enzyme inhibitor based on the predicted structure of Kyn-3-OHase.

Variants of the kyn-3-OHase enzymes of the present invention (obtained as described above) could be present in different tissues and/or organs, and might represent potential new pharmacological targets to develop more specific drugs.

Cloned genes of the present invention, and oligonucleotides derived therefrom, are useful for screening for restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) associated with certain disorders.

Oligonucleotides derived from the kyn-3-OHase DNA sequences of the present invention are useful as diagnostic tools for probing kyn-3-OHase gene expression in various tissues. For example, tissue can be probed in situ with oligonucleotide probes carrying detectable groups by conventional autoradiography techniques to investigate native expression of this enzyme or pathological conditions relating thereto.

The present invention is explained in greater detail in the following examples. These examples are intended to be illustrative of the present invention, and should not be constructed as limiting thereof.

EXAMPLE 1

Expression-cloning in Xenopus laevis oocytes

a) Preparation of Xenopus laevis oocytes

Ovarian tissue was dissected from adult female Xenopus laevis: a small incision was made in the skin and body wall in the posterior ventral side of the animal. The ovary consists of several lobes that were snipped off using scissors and placed in colture medium (ND solution: 5 mM hepes-NaOH, pH 7.6, 96 mM NaCl, 2 mM KCl, 1 mM MgCl₂). The incision in the body wall was then sutured separately from the skin, which subsequently was sutured as well, and the animal was left to recover in shallow water (L. D. Smith et al. 1991. Methods in Cell Biol. 36: 45-60).

Each oocyte is closely surrounded by about 5,000 follicle cells, which greatly affect the composition and synthesis of ovarian material unless removed.

Individual oocytes of stages were obtained by gentle agitation in ND solution plus 1-2mg/ml collagenase for 60-90 min. They were then maintained at 18° C. in ND solution enriched with 1.8 mM CaCl₂ and 20 mg/l gentamycin. Oocytes of stages 5 and 6 were injected 24 hours later with 50 nl RNA or water (N. Dascal and I. Lotan 1992. Methods in Mol. Biol. 13: 205-225).

b) mRNA isolation and injection

The injected mRNA was poly(A)^(*) RNA isolated from rat heart and kidney.

Rat kidneys and hearts were removed and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Total RNA was isolated with a guanidine thiocyanate extraction followed by CsCl₂ gradient centrifugation (Maniatis et al. Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989). mRNA was isolated by oligo-dT chromatography (Pharmacia Biotech, Uppsala, Sweeden).

Oocytes were injected with a Drummond Nanoject microdispenser. To avoid accidental injection into the nucleus, the needle was inserted close to the equator or in the vegetal (light) half of the oocytes. 1-3 days after injection the oocytes were assayed for kyn-3-OHase.

c) Rat Kyn-3-OHase activity expressed in X. laevis oocytes: biochemical assay.

Kyn-3-OHase activity was quantified by the conversion of L-kyn to 3-OH-Kyn. Oocytes were sonicated in ice-cold 0.14 M KCl/20 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) to obtain a final protein concentration of 5-10 mg/ml. The reaction mixture consisted of 100 ml of oocytes homogenates and 100 ml of 100 mM potassium phosphate buffer containing 4 mM MgCl₂, 0.8 mM NADPH and different concentrations of L-kyn. After 1 h incubation at 37° C. the reaction was terminated by adding 200 ml of 1M percloric acid (Saito K. et al., J. Neurochem. 1993. 60:180). 3-OH-Kyn was quantified by HPLC coupled to a coulometric detector (+0.2V), (Heyes M. P. and Querry B. J. J. Chrom. 1994. 428: 340).

d) Construction of a rat kidney cDNA expression library

A directional cDNA library was constructed by using size-selected rat kidney poly(A)⁺ RNA that had been shown to induce expression of kyn-3-OHase activity in the oocytes. The cDNA library was constructed by using a commercial kit (SuperScript plasmid system, pSPORT1 vector; GIBCO/BRL) and precisely following the suppliers instructions. The library contained about 5×10⁴ colonies, initial pools for screening contained about 2000 colonies.

e) Library screening

Plasmid DNA was isolated by standard procedures (alkaline lysis followed by a purification on Qiagen resin; Kontron Zurich). Plasmids were linearized with Not I and used for in vitro synthesis and capping of cRNA using T7 RNA polymerase (Stratagene) and following the supplier's instructions. Initially the library was divided into 25 pools of ˜2000 colonies; cRNA obtained transcribing the insert of each pool of colonies was injected in the oocytes and screened for the expressed kyn-3-Ohase activity (See Example 1c for the methods). The positive pool identified for its kyn-3-OHase expressed activity (175 pmoles/h/mg protein: about 30 fold higher than that induced by the injection of total kidney poly (A)⁺ RNA) was then split into several sub-pools and assayed with the same procedure. Following the same criterion, in the last round of screening we had a single positive clone showing an activity of 3747 pmoles/h/mg protein (about 400 fold higher than that induced by injection of total rat kidney poly(A)⁺ RNA).

EXAMPLE 2

Characterization of the cDNA encoding rat kyn-3-OHase.

a) DNA sequencing

Both strands of the cDNA were sequenced. Sequencing was carried out with universal and forward primers and subsequently with a series of synthetic oligonucleotide primers according to the dideoxy chain termination method (F. Sanger et al: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1977. 74: 5463-5467) using Sequenase (United States Biochemicals Corp., Cleveland, Ohio).

The sequenced cDNA, depicted in SEQ ID NO. 1, encodes a deduced protein of 478 amino acid residues (the predicted amino acid sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO. 2). Using the protein algorithm described by Gavel and Von Heijne (Protein Engineering, 4, 33-37, 1990) a potential mitochondrial signal peptide is predicted in position 1 to 31 of the deduced protein.

b) Northern analysis

A commercial premade Northern blot of poly(A)⁴ RNA from different rat tissues was used (CLONTECH laboratories, USA). A full length cDNA probe of the clone was labeled by random priming (Amersham) using [a-³² P]dCTP (DuPont/NEN). Blot was prehybridized and hybridized in a buffer containing 50% (vol/vol) formamide 5× standard saline citrate (SSC: 750 mM NaCl, 75 mM sodium citrate), 1× Denhardt's solution, salmon sperm at 0.25 mg/ml, 1 SDS overnight at 42° C. After hybridization, blot was washed three times in 2× SSC/0.1% SDS at 42° C. (FIG. 2).

c) In vitro translation

In vitro translation of the rat Kyn-3-OHase CRNA was performed with a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system (Promega) following the supplier's instructions.

Radiolabeled proteins synthesized in vitro using [3, 4, 5- ³ H] L-leucine were resolved by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and detected by autoradiography (FIG. 5) (Maniatis et al. 1989. Molecular cloning: a laboratory manual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.)

EXAMPLE 3

Biochemical characterization of rat kyn-3-OHase expressed in Xenopus l. oocytes.

Xenopus l. oocytes were first injected with 25 ng of poly(A)⁺ RNA isolated from rat kidney. Three days after the injection, oocytes homogenate showed the production of 6.3 pmoles/h/mg protein of 3-OH-kyn after 1 hour incubation at 37° C. in the presence of 1 mM L-kyn. The production of 3-OH-kyn in water-injected oocytes and in oocytes injected with poly(A)⁺ RNA isolated from rat heart, a tissue in which the activity of the enzyme is known to be very low (E. Okuno and R. Kido "Kynurenine and Serotonin pathways" Ed. by Schwarcz et al., Plenum Press, New York, 1991), was at the detection limit of the method and was similar to that observed in non-injected oocytes.

a) cRNA dose-response in Xenopus 1. oocytes

Increasing doses (range 0.1-25 ng) of cRNA, obtained from the positive clone, were injected into oocytes which were then tested for kyn-3-OHase activity in the presence of 100 mM of L-kyn. A linear dose-dependent effect was observed up to 5 ng cRNA/oocyte. At this dose the kyn-3-OHase activity was 35.7 nmoles/h/mg protein. No further increase of the activity was measured when higher cRNA doses were injected.

b) Effect of a selective kyn-3-OHase inhibitor FCE 28833A on the expressed enzyme activity.

An inhibition experiment was performed using FCE 28833A, a well known Kyn-3-OHase inhibitor (Molinari, A., M. Cini, M. Marconi, H. -Q. Wu, R. Schwarcz, A. Bonsignori, R. A. McArthur, M. Varasi and C. Speciale, 1995, Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 21, 436.3).

Oocytes injected with the kynOH clone were homogenized and incubated in the presence of 50 μM L-kyn and different concentrations of FCE 28833A. In this experimental condition the IC₅₀ of the inhibitor was 0.29 μM , this is in agreement with the previous results obtained in rat brain mithocondria (Molinari, A., M. Cini, M. Marconi, H. -Q. Wu, R. Schwarcz, A. Bonsignori, R. A. McArthur, M. Varasi and C. Speciale, 1995, Soc. Neurosci. Abstr. 21, 436.3).

EXAMPLE 4

Molecular cloning of human Kyn-3-OHase

a) cDNA library screening

About 1,000,000 recombinant phages of a λ ZapII human liver cDNA library (Stratagene) were plated on a lawn of E. coli XL1 Blue cells. After an overnight growth at 37° C. the recombinant phages were transferred in duplicate on nitrocellulose filters, their DNA was denatured, neutralized and baked under vacuum at 80° C. for 2 h. Prehybridization and hybridization were carried out under stringent conditions (6× SSC, 5× Denhardt, 0,1%SDS and Salmon sperm 100 μg/ml at 65° C.). The probe used was the MluI-HindIII 668 bp fragment obtained from the rat Kyn-3-OHase cDNA (K3OH). The probe was gel-purified by Qiaex (Qiagen) and labeled with ³² P by Multiprime DNA labeling system (Amersham).

The filters were washed at 65° C. three times in 2× SSC, 0.1% SDS and once in 1× SSC, 0.05% SDS. Filters were exposed to Kodak X-AR film (Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., USA) with intensifying screen at -80° C.

Positive phage plaques were isolated and screened again twice in order to isolate single clones.

b) Recombinant phage DNA extraction and Sequencing methods

E. coli XL1 Blue cells were coinfected with about 10⁵ phage particles corresponding to the positive clone selected and 1 μl of EX Assist helper phage (10⁶ pfu/μl; Stratagene) The mixture was incubated at 37° C. for 15 min and later incubated with 3 ml of LB medium for 3 h. Cells were spinned down and the supernatant was heated at 70° C. for 15 min. SORL cells at OD₆₀₀ =1 were mixed with the supernatant containing the phagemid pBluescript, incubated for 15 min at 37° C. and plated on LB-ampicilline (50 μg/ml) plates. Single clones were incubated overnight in LB-ampicilline and DNA was extracted according to the instructions of Qiagen Plasmid Maxi Protocol. Both strands of the cDNA were sequenced. Sequencing was carried out with universal and forward primers and subsequently with a series of synthetic oligonucleotide primers according to the dideoxy chain termination method (F. Sanger et al: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 1977. 74: 5463-5467) using Sequenase (United States Biochemicals Corp., Cleveland, Ohio). Eight positive clones were isolated and characterized by restriction analysis, to obtain the size of insert. All the positive clones were then sequenced on both strands: seven clones had an insert of 1628 bp, depicted in SEQ ID NO. 3, while one had a bigger insert, of 5000 bp depicted in SEQ ID NO. 5 All the eight clones contained an identical (100% nucleotide level) open reading frame of 1458 bp encoding a deduced protein of 486 amino acid residues (the predicted amino acid sequence is shown in SEQ ID NO. 4 and 6). The biggest clone had a huge 3' untraslated region (see FIG. 4). Sequence comparison between the deduced amino acid sequences of the human K3OH (SEQ ID NO. 4 and SEQ ID NO. 6) and the rat Kyn3OHase (SEQ ID NO. 2) showed 73% of identity (FIG. 5).

Also in this case, as for the rat protein, using the protein algorithm described by Gavel and Von Heijne (Protein Engineering, 4, 33-37, 1990) a potential mitochondrial signal peptide is predicted in position 1 to 31 of the deduced protein.

EXAMPLE 5

Inducible expression in Escherichia coli

a) Construction of the vector

The expression plasmid encoding human Kyn3OHase was constructed as follows:

a) PCR amplification was used to isolate the translated portion of the human Kyn3OHase cDNA sequence, to add the convenient restriction enzyme sites and to place the coding region in the proper reading frame. Two specific oligonucleotides were designed: the sense orientation oligonucleotide (5'-CAGGAATTCCATATGGACTCATCTGTC-3') (SEQ ID NO. 7)contains the Nde I restriction site that reconstitutes the ATG codon and therefore place the cDNA in frame; the antisense-orientation oligonucleotide (5'-CGGGATCCCGCTATCACCTGCTAATGA-3') (SEQ ID NO. 8) contains the BamH I restriction site and complements the sequence from the end of the coding region. In both the oligonucleotides the restriction site is flanked by a "spacer" at the 5' end to allow for efficient digestion.

b) The Nde I/BamH I digested fragment, after being controlled by sequencing, was ligated into the vector pET-11a (Novagen, USA) cut with the same restriction enzymes and dephosphorylated.

c) Initial cloning was done in DH5α strain to allow the examination of the construct sequence by restriction analysis.

b) Transformation and induction of BL21(DE3)pLysS strain

After positive clones were identified, the plasmid was isolated (Easy-pure plasmid preps, Primm Labs, Italy) and used for transformation into BL21(DE3) pLysS according to the instructions of Novagen, USA.

After the target plasmid was established in the expression host, expression of the human K3OH DNA was induced by addition of IPTG to a growing culture.

Following an induction protocol suggested by Novagen, a single colony or a few μl from a glycerol stock were grown into 2 ml LB medium containing the appropriate antibiotic at 37° C. until the OD₆₀₀ reached 0.6-1. The culture was stored at 4° C. overnight. The cells were then collected by centrifugation, resuspended in 2 ml fresh medium+antibiotics and used to inoculate 100 ml medium+antibiotics.

The culture was incubated with shaking at 37° C. until OD₆₀₀ reached 0.4-1. Samples for the uninduced control were removed and IPTG was added to a final concentration of 0.1-1 mM.

Induction time was 2-5 hours. Some induction experiments were performed at 30° C. overnight.

The cells were harvested by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 10 min at 4° C., resuspended in 0.25 culture volume of cold 50 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0, 2 mM EDTA and centrifuged as above. After removal of the supernatant, the cells were stored as frozen pellets at -70° C.

c) Recombinant Kyn-3-OHase activity: biochemical assay.

Kyn-3-OHase activity was quantified by the conversion of L-kyn to 3-OH-Kyn. E. coli pellets were resuspended in ice-cold 0.14 M KCl/20 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) to obtain a final protein concentration of 1-3 mg/ml and sonicated. The reaction mixture consisted of 100 μl of cells homogenates and 100 ml of 100 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.5) containing 4 mM MgCl₂, 0.8 mM NADPH and increasing concentrations of L-kyn. After 1 h incubation at 37° C. the reaction was terminated by adding 200 ml of 1M percloric acid (Saito K. et al., J. Neurochem. 1993. 60:180). 3-OH-Kyn was quantified by HPLC coupled to a coulometric detector (+0.2V), (Heyes M. P. and Querry B. J. J. Chrom. 1994. 428: 340)

EXAMPLE 6

Biochemical characterization of human recombinant kyn-3-OHase expressed in E. coli

Recombinant kyn-3-OHase activity measured in cells grown at 37° C. until the OD₆₀₀ reached 0.6, induced for 2 hours at 37° C. adding 1 mM IPTG was about 10 nmol/h·mg protein, enzymatic activity of uninduced cells in the same conditions was less than 5% (homogenates incubated for 1 hour at 37° C. with 500 μM L-kyn; see Example 5c). Not transformed cells did not show any kyn-3-OHase activity.

a) Kinetic analysis of human recombinant kyn-3-OHase

To further characterize human recombinant K3OH activity, a kinetic study was performed by incubating E. coli extracts with increasing concentrations of L-kynurenine, ranging from 1 to 4,000 μM (Induction conditions: OD₆₀₀ =0.6, [IPTG]=1 mM, 2 h at 37° C.).

The kinetic parameters: K_(m) and V_(app) (apparent maximal rate) measured in these conditions and calculated using the fitting curve analysis of Sigma Plot programme were 57±2 μM and 10.5±0.11 nmol/hour.mg of protein, respectively. The Km value is in the same order of magnitude of that measured in rat liver homogenate.

b) Effect of a selective kyn-3-OHase inhibitor FCE 28833A on the recombinant enzyme activity.

An inhibition experiment was performed using FCE 28833A, a well known Kyn-3-OHase inhibitor (Speciale C., Wu H. -Q., Cini M., Marconi M., Varasi M. and Schwarcz R. 1996, Eur. J. of Pharmacol. 315: 263-267)

E. coli extracts were incubated in the presence of 50 μM L-kyn and different concentrations of FCE 28833A. In this experimental condition the IC₅₀ of the inhibitor was 0.2±0.06 μM , this is in agreement with the previous results obtained in rat brain mitochondria (Speciale C., Wu H. -Q., Cini M., Marconi M., Varasi M. and Schwarcz R. 1996, Eur. J. of Pharmacol. 315: 263-267).

EXAMPLE 7

Recombinant expression of a fusion K3OH protein with a cleavable His.Tag sequence for rapid affinity purification

The plasmid pET-15b (Novagen, USA) was used. This vector has the advantage of carrying the His.Tag sequence, a stretch of 6 consecutive histidine residues that can be expressed at the N-terminal of the target protein. The His.Tag sequence binds to divalent cations immobilized on a metal chelation resin. After unbound proteins are washed away, the target protein can be recovered by elution with imidazole.

The pET-15b construct expressing human K301 was constructed as follows: the insert contained in plasmid pET-11a (See Example 5) was excided by digestion with Nde I/BamH I and ligated into the vector pET-15b cut with the same restriction enzymes and dephosphorylated.

Initial cloning was done in DH5α strain to allow the examination of the construct sequence by restriction analysis. After positive clones were identified, the plasmid was isolated (Easy-pure plasmid preps, Primm Labs, Italy) and used for transformation into BL21(DE3) pLysS according to the instructions of Novagen, USA.

After the target plasmid was established in the expression host, expression of the human K3OH DNA was induced by addition of IPTG to a growing culture. Induction conditions were the same used in Example 5.

    __________________________________________________________________________     #             SEQUENCE LISTING                                                    - -  - - <160> NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 9                                         - - <210> SEQ ID NO 1                                                         <211> LENGTH: 1733                                                             <212> TYPE: DNA                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Rattus rattus                                                  <220> FEATURE:                                                                 <221> NAME/KEY: CDS                                                            <222> LOCATION: (45)..(1481)                                                    - - <400> SEQUENCE: 1                                                          - - ccacgcgtcc gagctcctac ctgagcagag gtattctggc agca atg g - #ca tcg        tcg      56                                                                                        - #                  - #             Met Ala Ser -         #Ser                                                                                               - #                  - #               1                      - - gac act gaa gga aaa aga gtg gtt gtt atc gg - #t ggt ggt ttg gtt         gga      104                                                                     Asp Thr Glu Gly Lys Arg Val Val Val Ile Gl - #y Gly Gly Leu Val Gly             5                - #  10                - #  15                - #  20        - - gca ttg aac gcg tgc ttt ctc gca aag agg aa - #t ttc caa gtt gat gtg           152                                                                        Ala Leu Asn Ala Cys Phe Leu Ala Lys Arg As - #n Phe Gln Val Asp Val                             25 - #                 30 - #                 35               - - tac gaa gct agg gaa gat att cga gtg gct aa - #c ttt atg cgt gga aga           200                                                                        Tyr Glu Ala Arg Glu Asp Ile Arg Val Ala As - #n Phe Met Arg Gly Arg                         40     - #             45     - #             50                   - - agc att aat ttg gcc ctt tct tat aga gga cg - #g cag gcc ttg aag gcc           248                                                                        Ser Ile Asn Leu Ala Leu Ser Tyr Arg Gly Ar - #g Gln Ala Leu Lys Ala                     55         - #         60         - #         65                       - - gtt ggt ctg gaa gat cag atc gtg tcc aaa gg - #t gtg ccc atg aaa gcc           296                                                                        Val Gly Leu Glu Asp Gln Ile Val Ser Lys Gl - #y Val Pro Met Lys Ala                 70             - #     75             - #     80                           - - aga atg atc cac tct ctc tcg gga aag aag tc - #t gca att ccc tat ggg           344                                                                        Arg Met Ile His Ser Leu Ser Gly Lys Lys Se - #r Ala Ile Pro Tyr Gly             85                 - # 90                 - # 95                 - #100        - - aac aag tca cag tat atc ctt tca ata agc ag - #a gaa aag tta aac aag           392                                                                        Asn Lys Ser Gln Tyr Ile Leu Ser Ile Ser Ar - #g Glu Lys Leu Asn Lys                            105  - #               110  - #               115               - - gat ctg ctg act gcc gtg gag tcc tac ccc aa - #t gca aag gtg cac ttt           440                                                                        Asp Leu Leu Thr Ala Val Glu Ser Tyr Pro As - #n Ala Lys Val His Phe                        120      - #           125      - #           130                   - - ggc cac aag ctg tca aaa tgc tgt ccg gag ga - #a ggg ata ctc acg atg           488                                                                        Gly His Lys Leu Ser Lys Cys Cys Pro Glu Gl - #u Gly Ile Leu Thr Met                    135          - #       140          - #       145                       - - ctt gga ccc aac aaa gtt ccc aga gac atc ac - #g tgt gac ctc att gta           536                                                                        Leu Gly Pro Asn Lys Val Pro Arg Asp Ile Th - #r Cys Asp Leu Ile Val                150              - #   155              - #   160                           - - gga tgt gat ggg gcc tac tca act gtc aga gc - #t cac ctc atg aag aag           584                                                                        Gly Cys Asp Gly Ala Tyr Ser Thr Val Arg Al - #a His Leu Met Lys Lys            165                 1 - #70                 1 - #75                 1 -       #80                                                                               - - ccc cgt ttt gat tac agt cag caa tat atc cc - #t cat ggc tat atg         gag      632                                                                     Pro Arg Phe Asp Tyr Ser Gln Gln Tyr Ile Pr - #o His Gly Tyr Met Glu                           185  - #               190  - #               195               - - ctg aca att cca cct aag aac ggg gag tat gc - #c atg gaa cct aac tgt           680                                                                        Leu Thr Ile Pro Pro Lys Asn Gly Glu Tyr Al - #a Met Glu Pro Asn Cys                        200      - #           205      - #           210                   - - ctt cac att tgg cct aga aat gcc ttt atg at - #g atc gcc cta ccg aac           728                                                                        Leu His Ile Trp Pro Arg Asn Ala Phe Met Me - #t Ile Ala Leu Pro Asn                    215          - #       220          - #       225                       - - atg gac aaa tct ttc aca tgc acc ttg ttc at - #g tcc ttt gag gag ttt           776                                                                        Met Asp Lys Ser Phe Thr Cys Thr Leu Phe Me - #t Ser Phe Glu Glu Phe                230              - #   235              - #   240                           - - gaa aag ctt cca acg cat agt gat gtg ctg ga - #c ttc ttc cag aag aac           824                                                                        Glu Lys Leu Pro Thr His Ser Asp Val Leu As - #p Phe Phe Gln Lys Asn            245                 2 - #50                 2 - #55                 2 -       #60                                                                               - - ttt cca gat gcc atc cct ctg atg ggc gag ca - #a gcc ctc atg aga         gat      872                                                                     Phe Pro Asp Ala Ile Pro Leu Met Gly Glu Gl - #n Ala Leu Met Arg Asp                           265  - #               270  - #               275               - - ttc ttt ctg ttg cct gcc cag ccc atg ata tc - #a gta aag tgc tct ccc           920                                                                        Phe Phe Leu Leu Pro Ala Gln Pro Met Ile Se - #r Val Lys Cys Ser Pro                        280      - #           285      - #           290                   - - ttc cac ctg aag tca cgc tgt gtg ctg atg gg - #a gat gca gct cat gcc           968                                                                        Phe His Leu Lys Ser Arg Cys Val Leu Met Gl - #y Asp Ala Ala His Ala                    295          - #       300          - #       305                       - - atc gtc cca ttt ttt ggg caa gga atg aat gc - #g ggc ttt gaa gac tgc          1016                                                                        Ile Val Pro Phe Phe Gly Gln Gly Met Asn Al - #a Gly Phe Glu Asp Cys                310              - #   315              - #   320                           - - ttg gta ttt gat gag tta atg gac aaa ttc aa - #t aat gat ctt agt gtg          1064                                                                        Leu Val Phe Asp Glu Leu Met Asp Lys Phe As - #n Asn Asp Leu Ser Val            325                 3 - #30                 3 - #35                 3 -       #40                                                                               - - tgc ctt cct gaa ttc tca aga ttt agg att cc - #t gat gac cat gca         att     1112                                                                     Cys Leu Pro Glu Phe Ser Arg Phe Arg Ile Pr - #o Asp Asp His Ala Ile                           345  - #               350  - #               355               - - tca gac ctg tct atg tac aat tac ata gag at - #g cga gcg cat gtc aac          1160                                                                        Ser Asp Leu Ser Met Tyr Asn Tyr Ile Glu Me - #t Arg Ala His Val Asn                        360      - #           365      - #           370                   - - tct agg tgg ttc ctg ttt caa agg ctc ctg ga - #t aaa ttt ctt cat gca          1208                                                                        Ser Arg Trp Phe Leu Phe Gln Arg Leu Leu As - #p Lys Phe Leu His Ala                    375          - #       380          - #       385                       - - cta atg cca tcc act ttc atc cct ctc tat ac - #c atg gtc gcc ttc acc          1256                                                                        Leu Met Pro Ser Thr Phe Ile Pro Leu Tyr Th - #r Met Val Ala Phe Thr                390              - #   395              - #   400                           - - aga ata aga tac cac gag gca gtg ctg cgc tg - #g cat tgg caa aaa aag          1304                                                                        Arg Ile Arg Tyr His Glu Ala Val Leu Arg Tr - #p His Trp Gln Lys Lys            405                 4 - #10                 4 - #15                 4 -       #20                                                                               - - gtg ata aac aga gga ctc ttt gtc ctt ggg tc - #c ctg gta gcc att         gga     1352                                                                     Val Ile Asn Arg Gly Leu Phe Val Leu Gly Se - #r Leu Val Ala Ile Gly                           425  - #               430  - #               435               - - agt gcc tac ata ctc gtg cac cac ctg tcc cc - #g aga cct ctg gaa ctc          1400                                                                        Ser Ala Tyr Ile Leu Val His His Leu Ser Pr - #o Arg Pro Leu Glu Leu                        440      - #           445      - #           450                   - - ctg aga tct gcc tgg acg gga acc tct ggc ca - #c tgg aat agg agt gca          1448                                                                        Leu Arg Ser Ala Trp Thr Gly Thr Ser Gly Hi - #s Trp Asn Arg Ser Ala                    455          - #       460          - #       465                       - - gac att tct cca cga gtt cca tgg agt cac ta - #g gacaaatgcc ccagttcac     t   1501                                                                        Asp Ile Ser Pro Arg Val Pro Trp Ser His                                            470              - #   475                                                  - - atccatagtg tcaacgttcc gggtagcaaa tgcttgattc ctcttcaata tc -              #aagggaga   1561                                                                  - - aactcatgtt cccattgccg tcttcagttc actatgggaa aatcattgtc ag -             #catataat   1621                                                                  - - taagttcgga gtggagggct gtttttacag tgtctcatta ttttgcatgc tt -             #ggactggg   1681                                                                  - - ttcaattttt aaatttaaaa acacaataac caaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aa - #                1733                                                                        - -  - - <210> SEQ ID NO 2                                                    <211> LENGTH: 478                                                              <212> TYPE: PRT                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Rattus rattus                                                   - - <400> SEQUENCE: 2                                                          - - Met Ala Ser Ser Asp Thr Glu Gly Lys Arg Va - #l Val Val Ile Gly Gly         1               5 - #                 10 - #                 15               - - Gly Leu Val Gly Ala Leu Asn Ala Cys Phe Le - #u Ala Lys Arg Asn Phe                    20     - #             25     - #             30                   - - Gln Val Asp Val Tyr Glu Ala Arg Glu Asp Il - #e Arg Val Ala Asn Phe                35         - #         40         - #         45                       - - Met Arg Gly Arg Ser Ile Asn Leu Ala Leu Se - #r Tyr Arg Gly Arg Gln            50             - #     55             - #     60                           - - Ala Leu Lys Ala Val Gly Leu Glu Asp Gln Il - #e Val Ser Lys Gly Val        65                 - # 70                 - # 75                 - # 80        - - Pro Met Lys Ala Arg Met Ile His Ser Leu Se - #r Gly Lys Lys Ser Ala                        85 - #                 90 - #                 95               - - Ile Pro Tyr Gly Asn Lys Ser Gln Tyr Ile Le - #u Ser Ile Ser Arg Glu                   100      - #           105      - #           110                   - - Lys Leu Asn Lys Asp Leu Leu Thr Ala Val Gl - #u Ser Tyr Pro Asn Ala               115          - #       120          - #       125                       - - Lys Val His Phe Gly His Lys Leu Ser Lys Cy - #s Cys Pro Glu Glu Gly           130              - #   135              - #   140                           - - Ile Leu Thr Met Leu Gly Pro Asn Lys Val Pr - #o Arg Asp Ile Thr Cys       145                 1 - #50                 1 - #55                 1 -       #60                                                                               - - Asp Leu Ile Val Gly Cys Asp Gly Ala Tyr Se - #r Thr Val Arg Ala         His                                                                                              165  - #               170  - #               175              - - Leu Met Lys Lys Pro Arg Phe Asp Tyr Ser Gl - #n Gln Tyr Ile Pro His                   180      - #           185      - #           190                   - - Gly Tyr Met Glu Leu Thr Ile Pro Pro Lys As - #n Gly Glu Tyr Ala Met               195          - #       200          - #       205                       - - Glu Pro Asn Cys Leu His Ile Trp Pro Arg As - #n Ala Phe Met Met Ile           210              - #   215              - #   220                           - - Ala Leu Pro Asn Met Asp Lys Ser Phe Thr Cy - #s Thr Leu Phe Met Ser       225                 2 - #30                 2 - #35                 2 -       #40                                                                               - - Phe Glu Glu Phe Glu Lys Leu Pro Thr His Se - #r Asp Val Leu Asp         Phe                                                                                              245  - #               250  - #               255              - - Phe Gln Lys Asn Phe Pro Asp Ala Ile Pro Le - #u Met Gly Glu Gln Ala                   260      - #           265      - #           270                   - - Leu Met Arg Asp Phe Phe Leu Leu Pro Ala Gl - #n Pro Met Ile Ser Val               275          - #       280          - #       285                       - - Lys Cys Ser Pro Phe His Leu Lys Ser Arg Cy - #s Val Leu Met Gly Asp           290              - #   295              - #   300                           - - Ala Ala His Ala Ile Val Pro Phe Phe Gly Gl - #n Gly Met Asn Ala Gly       305                 3 - #10                 3 - #15                 3 -       #20                                                                               - - Phe Glu Asp Cys Leu Val Phe Asp Glu Leu Me - #t Asp Lys Phe Asn         Asn                                                                                              325  - #               330  - #               335              - - Asp Leu Ser Val Cys Leu Pro Glu Phe Ser Ar - #g Phe Arg Ile Pro Asp                   340      - #           345      - #           350                   - - Asp His Ala Ile Ser Asp Leu Ser Met Tyr As - #n Tyr Ile Glu Met Arg               355          - #       360          - #       365                       - - Ala His Val Asn Ser Arg Trp Phe Leu Phe Gl - #n Arg Leu Leu Asp Lys           370              - #   375              - #   380                           - - Phe Leu His Ala Leu Met Pro Ser Thr Phe Il - #e Pro Leu Tyr Thr Met       385                 3 - #90                 3 - #95                 4 -       #00                                                                               - - Val Ala Phe Thr Arg Ile Arg Tyr His Glu Al - #a Val Leu Arg Trp         His                                                                                              405  - #               410  - #               415              - - Trp Gln Lys Lys Val Ile Asn Arg Gly Leu Ph - #e Val Leu Gly Ser Leu                   420      - #           425      - #           430                   - - Val Ala Ile Gly Ser Ala Tyr Ile Leu Val Hi - #s His Leu Ser Pro Arg               435          - #       440          - #       445                       - - Pro Leu Glu Leu Leu Arg Ser Ala Trp Thr Gl - #y Thr Ser Gly His Trp           450              - #   455              - #   460                           - - Asn Arg Ser Ala Asp Ile Ser Pro Arg Val Pr - #o Trp Ser His               465                 4 - #70                 4 - #75                             - -  - - <210> SEQ ID NO 3                                                    <211> LENGTH: 1628                                                             <212> TYPE: DNA                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens                                                   <220> FEATURE:                                                                 <221> NAME/KEY: CDS                                                            <222> LOCATION: (34)..(1494)                                                    - - <400> SEQUENCE: 3                                                          - - gcacagataa ttgtgaaaaa tacttcagca gtt atg gac tca tc - #t gtc att         caa  54                                                                                            - #                  - # Met Asp Ser Ser Val Ile Gln                          - #                  - #   1               - #5               - - agg aaa aaa gta gct gtc att ggt ggt ggc tt - #g gtt ggc tca tta caa        102                                                                           Arg Lys Lys Val Ala Val Ile Gly Gly Gly Le - #u Val Gly Ser Leu Gln                     10         - #         15         - #         20                       - - gca tgc ttt ctt gca aag agg aat ttc cag at - #t gat gta tat gaa gct        150                                                                           Ala Cys Phe Leu Ala Lys Arg Asn Phe Gln Il - #e Asp Val Tyr Glu Ala                 25             - #     30             - #     35                           - - agg gaa gat act cga gtg gct acc ttc aca cg - #t gga aga agc att aac        198                                                                           Arg Glu Asp Thr Arg Val Ala Thr Phe Thr Ar - #g Gly Arg Ser Ile Asn             40                 - # 45                 - # 50                 - # 55        - - tta gcc ctt tct cat aga gga cga caa gcc tt - #g aaa gct gtt ggc ctg        246                                                                           Leu Ala Leu Ser His Arg Gly Arg Gln Ala Le - #u Lys Ala Val Gly Leu                             60 - #                 65 - #                 70               - - gaa gat cag att gta tcc caa ggt att ccc at - #g aga gca aga atg atc        294                                                                           Glu Asp Gln Ile Val Ser Gln Gly Ile Pro Me - #t Arg Ala Arg Met Ile                         75     - #             80     - #             85                   - - cac tct ctt tca gga aaa aag tct gca att cc - #c tat ggg aca aag tct        342                                                                           His Ser Leu Ser Gly Lys Lys Ser Ala Ile Pr - #o Tyr Gly Thr Lys Ser                     90         - #         95         - #        100                       - - cag tat att ctt tct gta agc aga gaa aat ct - #a aac aag gat cta ttg        390                                                                           Gln Tyr Ile Leu Ser Val Ser Arg Glu Asn Le - #u Asn Lys Asp Leu Leu                105              - #   110              - #   115                           - - act gct gct gag aaa tac ccc aat gtg aaa at - #g cac ttt aac cac agg        438                                                                           Thr Ala Ala Glu Lys Tyr Pro Asn Val Lys Me - #t His Phe Asn His Arg            120                 1 - #25                 1 - #30                 1 -       #35                                                                               - - ctg ttg aaa tgt aat cca gag gaa gga atg at - #c aca gtg ctt gga         tct   486                                                                        Leu Leu Lys Cys Asn Pro Glu Glu Gly Met Il - #e Thr Val Leu Gly Ser                           140  - #               145  - #               150               - - gac aaa gtt ccc aaa gat gtc act tgt gac ct - #c att gta gga tgt gat        534                                                                           Asp Lys Val Pro Lys Asp Val Thr Cys Asp Le - #u Ile Val Gly Cys Asp                        155      - #           160      - #           165                   - - gga gcc tat tca act gtc aga tct cac ctg at - #g aag aaa cct cgc ttt        582                                                                           Gly Ala Tyr Ser Thr Val Arg Ser His Leu Me - #t Lys Lys Pro Arg Phe                    170          - #       175          - #       180                       - - gat tac agt cag cag tac att cct cat ggg ta - #c atg gag ttg act att        630                                                                           Asp Tyr Ser Gln Gln Tyr Ile Pro His Gly Ty - #r Met Glu Leu Thr Ile                185              - #   190              - #   195                           - - cca cct aag aac gga gat tat gcc atg gaa cc - #t aat tat ctg cat att        678                                                                           Pro Pro Lys Asn Gly Asp Tyr Ala Met Glu Pr - #o Asn Tyr Leu His Ile            200                 2 - #05                 2 - #10                 2 -       #15                                                                               - - tgg cct aga aat acc ttt atg atg att gca ct - #t cct aac atg aac         aaa   726                                                                        Trp Pro Arg Asn Thr Phe Met Met Ile Ala Le - #u Pro Asn Met Asn Lys                           220  - #               225  - #               230               - - tca ttc aca tgt act ttg ttc atg ccc ttt ga - #a gag ttt gaa aaa ctt        774                                                                           Ser Phe Thr Cys Thr Leu Phe Met Pro Phe Gl - #u Glu Phe Glu Lys Leu                        235      - #           240      - #           245                   - - cta acc agt aat gat gtg gta gat ttc ttc ca - #g aaa tac ttt ccg gat        822                                                                           Leu Thr Ser Asn Asp Val Val Asp Phe Phe Gl - #n Lys Tyr Phe Pro Asp                    250          - #       255          - #       260                       - - gcc atc cct cta att gga gag aaa ctc cta gt - #g caa gat ttc ttc ctg        870                                                                           Ala Ile Pro Leu Ile Gly Glu Lys Leu Leu Va - #l Gln Asp Phe Phe Leu                265              - #   270              - #   275                           - - ttg cct gcc cag ccc atg ata tct gta aag tg - #c tct tca ttt cac ttt        918                                                                           Leu Pro Ala Gln Pro Met Ile Ser Val Lys Cy - #s Ser Ser Phe His Phe            280                 2 - #85                 2 - #90                 2 -       #95                                                                               - - aaa tct cac tgt gta ctg ctg gga gat gca gc - #t cat gct ata gtg         ccg   966                                                                        Lys Ser His Cys Val Leu Leu Gly Asp Ala Al - #a His Ala Ile Val Pro                           300  - #               305  - #               310               - - ttt ttt ggg caa gga atg aat gcg ggc ttt ga - #a gac tgc ttg gta ttt        1014                                                                          Phe Phe Gly Gln Gly Met Asn Ala Gly Phe Gl - #u Asp Cys Leu Val Phe                        315      - #           320      - #           325                   - - gat gag tta atg gat aaa ttc agt aac gac ct - #t agt ttg tgt ctt cct        1062                                                                          Asp Glu Leu Met Asp Lys Phe Ser Asn Asp Le - #u Ser Leu Cys Leu Pro                    330          - #       335          - #       340                       - - gtg ttc tca aga ttg aga atc cca gat gat ca - #c gcg att tca gac cta        1110                                                                          Val Phe Ser Arg Leu Arg Ile Pro Asp Asp Hi - #s Ala Ile Ser Asp Leu                345              - #   350              - #   355                           - - tcc atg tac aat tac ata gag atg cga gca ca - #t gtc aac tca agc tgg        1158                                                                          Ser Met Tyr Asn Tyr Ile Glu Met Arg Ala Hi - #s Val Asn Ser Ser Trp            360                 3 - #65                 3 - #70                 3 -       #75                                                                               - - ttc att ttt cag aag aac atg gag aga ttt ct - #t cat gcg att atg         cca   1206                                                                       Phe Ile Phe Gln Lys Asn Met Glu Arg Phe Le - #u His Ala Ile Met Pro                           380  - #               385  - #               390               - - tcg acc ttt atc cct ctc tat aca atg gtc ac - #t ttt tcc aga ata aga        1254                                                                          Ser Thr Phe Ile Pro Leu Tyr Thr Met Val Th - #r Phe Ser Arg Ile Arg                        395      - #           400      - #           405                   - - tac cat gag gct gtg cag cgt tgg cat tgg ca - #a aaa aag gtg ata aac        1302                                                                          Tyr His Glu Ala Val Gln Arg Trp His Trp Gl - #n Lys Lys Val Ile Asn                    410          - #       415          - #       420                       - - aaa gga ctc ttt ttc ttg gga tca ctg ata gc - #c atc agc agt acc tac        1350                                                                          Lys Gly Leu Phe Phe Leu Gly Ser Leu Ile Al - #a Ile Ser Ser Thr Tyr                425              - #   430              - #   435                           - - cta ctt ata cac tac atg tca cca cga tct tt - #c ctc tgc ttg aga aga        1398                                                                          Leu Leu Ile His Tyr Met Ser Pro Arg Ser Ph - #e Leu Cys Leu Arg Arg            440                 4 - #45                 4 - #50                 4 -       #55                                                                               - - cca tgg aac tgg ata gct cac ttc cgg aat ac - #a aca tgt ttc ccc         gca   1446                                                                       Pro Trp Asn Trp Ile Ala His Phe Arg Asn Th - #r Thr Cys Phe Pro Ala                           460  - #               465  - #               470               - - aag gcc gtg gac tcc cta gaa caa att tcc aa - #t ctc att agc agg tga        1494                                                                          Lys Ala Val Asp Ser Leu Glu Gln Ile Ser As - #n Leu Ile Ser Arg                            475      - #           480      - #           485                   - - tagaaaggtt ttgtggtagc aaatgcatga tttctctgtg accaaaatta ag -              #catgaaaa 1554                                                                    - - aaatgtttcc attgccatat ttgattcact agtggaagat agtgttctgc tt -             #ataattaa 1614                                                                    - - actgaatgta gagt              - #                  - #                       - # 1628                                                                     - -  - - <210> SEQ ID NO 4                                                    <211> LENGTH: 486                                                              <212> TYPE: PRT                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens                                                    - - <400> SEQUENCE: 4                                                          - - Met Asp Ser Ser Val Ile Gln Arg Lys Lys Va - #l Ala Val Ile Gly Gly         1               5 - #                 10 - #                 15               - - Gly Leu Val Gly Ser Leu Gln Ala Cys Phe Le - #u Ala Lys Arg Asn Phe                    20     - #             25     - #             30                   - - Gln Ile Asp Val Tyr Glu Ala Arg Glu Asp Th - #r Arg Val Ala Thr Phe                35         - #         40         - #         45                       - - Thr Arg Gly Arg Ser Ile Asn Leu Ala Leu Se - #r His Arg Gly Arg Gln            50             - #     55             - #     60                           - - Ala Leu Lys Ala Val Gly Leu Glu Asp Gln Il - #e Val Ser Gln Gly Ile        65                 - # 70                 - # 75                 - # 80        - - Pro Met Arg Ala Arg Met Ile His Ser Leu Se - #r Gly Lys Lys Ser Ala                        85 - #                 90 - #                 95               - - Ile Pro Tyr Gly Thr Lys Ser Gln Tyr Ile Le - #u Ser Val Ser Arg Glu                   100      - #           105      - #           110                   - - Asn Leu Asn Lys Asp Leu Leu Thr Ala Ala Gl - #u Lys Tyr Pro Asn Val               115          - #       120          - #       125                       - - Lys Met His Phe Asn His Arg Leu Leu Lys Cy - #s Asn Pro Glu Glu Gly           130              - #   135              - #   140                           - - Met Ile Thr Val Leu Gly Ser Asp Lys Val Pr - #o Lys Asp Val Thr Cys       145                 1 - #50                 1 - #55                 1 -       #60                                                                               - - Asp Leu Ile Val Gly Cys Asp Gly Ala Tyr Se - #r Thr Val Arg Ser         His                                                                                              165  - #               170  - #               175              - - Leu Met Lys Lys Pro Arg Phe Asp Tyr Ser Gl - #n Gln Tyr Ile Pro His                   180      - #           185      - #           190                   - - Gly Tyr Met Glu Leu Thr Ile Pro Pro Lys As - #n Gly Asp Tyr Ala Met               195          - #       200          - #       205                       - - Glu Pro Asn Tyr Leu His Ile Trp Pro Arg As - #n Thr Phe Met Met Ile           210              - #   215              - #   220                           - - Ala Leu Pro Asn Met Asn Lys Ser Phe Thr Cy - #s Thr Leu Phe Met Pro       225                 2 - #30                 2 - #35                 2 -       #40                                                                               - - Phe Glu Glu Phe Glu Lys Leu Leu Thr Ser As - #n Asp Val Val Asp         Phe                                                                                              245  - #               250  - #               255              - - Phe Gln Lys Tyr Phe Pro Asp Ala Ile Pro Le - #u Ile Gly Glu Lys Leu                   260      - #           265      - #           270                   - - Leu Val Gln Asp Phe Phe Leu Leu Pro Ala Gl - #n Pro Met Ile Ser Val               275          - #       280          - #       285                       - - Lys Cys Ser Ser Phe His Phe Lys Ser His Cy - #s Val Leu Leu Gly Asp           290              - #   295              - #   300                           - - Ala Ala His Ala Ile Val Pro Phe Phe Gly Gl - #n Gly Met Asn Ala Gly       305                 3 - #10                 3 - #15                 3 -       #20                                                                               - - Phe Glu Asp Cys Leu Val Phe Asp Glu Leu Me - #t Asp Lys Phe Ser         Asn                                                                                              325  - #               330  - #               335              - - Asp Leu Ser Leu Cys Leu Pro Val Phe Ser Ar - #g Leu Arg Ile Pro Asp                   340      - #           345      - #           350                   - - Asp His Ala Ile Ser Asp Leu Ser Met Tyr As - #n Tyr Ile Glu Met Arg               355          - #       360          - #       365                       - - Ala His Val Asn Ser Ser Trp Phe Ile Phe Gl - #n Lys Asn Met Glu Arg           370              - #   375              - #   380                           - - Phe Leu His Ala Ile Met Pro Ser Thr Phe Il - #e Pro Leu Tyr Thr Met       385                 3 - #90                 3 - #95                 4 -       #00                                                                               - - Val Thr Phe Ser Arg Ile Arg Tyr His Glu Al - #a Val Gln Arg Trp         His                                                                                              405  - #               410  - #               415              - - Trp Gln Lys Lys Val Ile Asn Lys Gly Leu Ph - #e Phe Leu Gly Ser Leu                   420      - #           425      - #           430                   - - Ile Ala Ile Ser Ser Thr Tyr Leu Leu Ile Hi - #s Tyr Met Ser Pro Arg               435          - #       440          - #       445                       - - Ser Phe Leu Cys Leu Arg Arg Pro Trp Asn Tr - #p Ile Ala His Phe Arg           450              - #   455              - #   460                           - - Asn Thr Thr Cys Phe Pro Ala Lys Ala Val As - #p Ser Leu Glu Gln Ile       465                 4 - #70                 4 - #75                 4 -       #80                                                                               - - Ser Asn Leu Ile Ser Arg                                                                   485                                                             - -  - - <210> SEQ ID NO 5                                                    <211> LENGTH: 5000                                                             <212> TYPE: DNA                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens                                                   <220> FEATURE:                                                                 <221> NAME/KEY: CDS                                                            <222> LOCATION: (47)..(1507)                                                    - - <400> SEQUENCE: 5                                                          - - ggcacgagca gaagcaacaa taattgtgaa aaatacttca gcagtt atg - #gac tca         55                                                                                              - #                  - #               Met Asp - #Ser                          - #                  - #                 1                    - - tct gtc att caa agg aaa aaa gta gct gtc at - #t ggt ggt ggc ttg gtt        103                                                                           Ser Val Ile Gln Arg Lys Lys Val Ala Val Il - #e Gly Gly Gly Leu Val                  5            - #      10            - #      15                           - - ggc tca tta caa gca tgc ttt ctt gca aag ag - #g aat ttc cag att gat        151                                                                           Gly Ser Leu Gln Ala Cys Phe Leu Ala Lys Ar - #g Asn Phe Gln Ile Asp             20                 - # 25                 - # 30                 - # 35        - - gta tat gaa gct agg gaa gat act cga gtg gc - #t acc ttc aca cgt gga        199                                                                           Val Tyr Glu Ala Arg Glu Asp Thr Arg Val Al - #a Thr Phe Thr Arg Gly                             40 - #                 45 - #                 50               - - aga agc att aac tta gcc ctt tct cat aga gg - #a cga caa gcc ttg aaa        247                                                                           Arg Ser Ile Asn Leu Ala Leu Ser His Arg Gl - #y Arg Gln Ala Leu Lys                         55     - #             60     - #             65                   - - gct gtt ggc ctg gaa gat cag att gta tcc ca - #a ggt att ccc atg aga        295                                                                           Ala Val Gly Leu Glu Asp Gln Ile Val Ser Gl - #n Gly Ile Pro Met Arg                     70         - #         75         - #         80                       - - gca aga atg atc cac tct ctt tca gga aaa aa - #g tct gca att ccc tat        343                                                                           Ala Arg Met Ile His Ser Leu Ser Gly Lys Ly - #s Ser Ala Ile Pro Tyr                 85             - #     90             - #     95                           - - ggg aca aag tct cag tat att ctt tct gta ag - #c aga gaa aat cta aac        391                                                                           Gly Thr Lys Ser Gln Tyr Ile Leu Ser Val Se - #r Arg Glu Asn Leu Asn            100                 1 - #05                 1 - #10                 1 -       #15                                                                               - - aag gat cta ttg act gct gct gag aaa tac cc - #c aat gtg aaa atg         cac   439                                                                        Lys Asp Leu Leu Thr Ala Ala Glu Lys Tyr Pr - #o Asn Val Lys Met His                           120  - #               125  - #               130               - - ttt aac cac agg ctg ttg aaa tgt aat cca ga - #g gaa gga atg atc aca        487                                                                           Phe Asn His Arg Leu Leu Lys Cys Asn Pro Gl - #u Glu Gly Met Ile Thr                        135      - #           140      - #           145                   - - gtg ctt gga tct gac aaa gtt ccc aaa gat gt - #c act tgt gac ctc att        535                                                                           Val Leu Gly Ser Asp Lys Val Pro Lys Asp Va - #l Thr Cys Asp Leu Ile                    150          - #       155          - #       160                       - - gta gga tgt gat gga gcc tat tca act gtc ag - #a tct cac ctg atg aag        583                                                                           Val Gly Cys Asp Gly Ala Tyr Ser Thr Val Ar - #g Ser His Leu Met Lys                165              - #   170              - #   175                           - - aaa cct cgc ttt gat tac agt cag cag tac at - #t cct cat ggg tac atg        631                                                                           Lys Pro Arg Phe Asp Tyr Ser Gln Gln Tyr Il - #e Pro His Gly Tyr Met            180                 1 - #85                 1 - #90                 1 -       #95                                                                               - - gag ttg act att cca cct aag aac gga gat ta - #t gcc atg gaa cct         aat   679                                                                        Glu Leu Thr Ile Pro Pro Lys Asn Gly Asp Ty - #r Ala Met Glu Pro Asn                           200  - #               205  - #               210               - - tat ctg cat att tgg cct aga aat acc ttt at - #g atg att gca ctt cct        727                                                                           Tyr Leu His Ile Trp Pro Arg Asn Thr Phe Me - #t Met Ile Ala Leu Pro                        215      - #           220      - #           225                   - - aac atg aac aaa tca ttc aca tgt act ttg tt - #c atg ccc ttt gaa gag        775                                                                           Asn Met Asn Lys Ser Phe Thr Cys Thr Leu Ph - #e Met Pro Phe Glu Glu                    230          - #       235          - #       240                       - - ttt gaa aaa ctt cta acc agt aat gat gtg gt - #a gat ttc ttc cag aaa        823                                                                           Phe Glu Lys Leu Leu Thr Ser Asn Asp Val Va - #l Asp Phe Phe Gln Lys                245              - #   250              - #   255                           - - tac ttt ccg gat gcc atc cct cta att gga ga - #g aaa ctc cta gtg caa        871                                                                           Tyr Phe Pro Asp Ala Ile Pro Leu Ile Gly Gl - #u Lys Leu Leu Val Gln            260                 2 - #65                 2 - #70                 2 -       #75                                                                               - - gat ttc ttc ctg ttg cct gcc cag ccc atg at - #a tct gta aag tgc         tct   919                                                                        Asp Phe Phe Leu Leu Pro Ala Gln Pro Met Il - #e Ser Val Lys Cys Ser                           280  - #               285  - #               290               - - tca ttt cac ttt aaa tct cac tgt gta ctg ct - #g gga gat gca gct cat        967                                                                           Ser Phe His Phe Lys Ser His Cys Val Leu Le - #u Gly Asp Ala Ala His                        295      - #           300      - #           305                   - - gct ata gtg ccg ttt ttt ggg caa gga atg aa - #t gcg ggc ttt gaa gac        1015                                                                          Ala Ile Val Pro Phe Phe Gly Gln Gly Met As - #n Ala Gly Phe Glu Asp                    310          - #       315          - #       320                       - - tgc ttg gta ttt gat gag tta atg gat aaa tt - #c agt aac gac ctt agt        1063                                                                          Cys Leu Val Phe Asp Glu Leu Met Asp Lys Ph - #e Ser Asn Asp Leu Ser                325              - #   330              - #   335                           - - ttg tgt ctt cct gtg ttc tca aga ttg aga at - #c cca gat gat cac gcg        1111                                                                          Leu Cys Leu Pro Val Phe Ser Arg Leu Arg Il - #e Pro Asp Asp His Ala            340                 3 - #45                 3 - #50                 3 -       #55                                                                               - - att tca gac cta tcc atg tac aat tac ata ga - #g atg cga gca cat         gtc   1159                                                                       Ile Ser Asp Leu Ser Met Tyr Asn Tyr Ile Gl - #u Met Arg Ala His Val                           360  - #               365  - #               370               - - aac tca agc tgg ttc att ttt cag aag aac at - #g gag aga ttt ctt cat        1207                                                                          Asn Ser Ser Trp Phe Ile Phe Gln Lys Asn Me - #t Glu Arg Phe Leu His                        375      - #           380      - #           385                   - - gcg att atg cca tcg acc ttt atc cct ctc ta - #t aca atg gtc act ttt        1255                                                                          Ala Ile Met Pro Ser Thr Phe Ile Pro Leu Ty - #r Thr Met Val Thr Phe                    390          - #       395          - #       400                       - - tcc aga ata aga tac cat gag gct gtg cag cg - #t tgg cat tgg caa aaa        1303                                                                          Ser Arg Ile Arg Tyr His Glu Ala Val Gln Ar - #g Trp His Trp Gln Lys                405              - #   410              - #   415                           - - aag gtg ata aac aaa gga ctc ttt ttc ttg gg - #a tca ctg ata gcc atc        1351                                                                          Lys Val Ile Asn Lys Gly Leu Phe Phe Leu Gl - #y Ser Leu Ile Ala Ile            420                 4 - #25                 4 - #30                 4 -       #35                                                                               - - agc agt acc tac cta ctt ata cac tac atg tc - #a cca cga tct ttc         ctc   1399                                                                       Ser Ser Thr Tyr Leu Leu Ile His Tyr Met Se - #r Pro Arg Ser Phe Leu                           440  - #               445  - #               450               - - tgc ttg aga aga cca tgg aac tgg ata gct ca - #c ttc cgg aat aca aca        1447                                                                          Cys Leu Arg Arg Pro Trp Asn Trp Ile Ala Hi - #s Phe Arg Asn Thr Thr                        455      - #           460      - #           465                   - - tgt ttc ccc gca aag gcc gtg gac tcc cta ga - #a caa att tcc aat ctc        1495                                                                          Cys Phe Pro Ala Lys Ala Val Asp Ser Leu Gl - #u Gln Ile Ser Asn Leu                    470          - #       475          - #       480                       - - att agc agg tga tagaaaggtt ttgtggtagc aaatgcatga tt - #tctctgtg            1547                                                                          Ile Ser Arg                                                                        485                                                                         - - accaaaatta agcatgaaaa aaatgtttcc attgccatat ttgattcact ag -              #tggaagat 1607                                                                    - - agtgttctgc ttataattaa actgaatgta gagtatctct gtatgttaat tg -             #caattact 1667                                                                    - - ggttgggggg tgcattttaa aagatgaaac atgcagcttc cctacattac ac -             #acactcag 1727                                                                    - - gttgagtcat tctaactata aaagtgcaat gactaagatc cttcacttct ct -             #gaaagtaa 1787                                                                    - - ggccctagat gcctcaggga agacagtaat catgcctttt ctttaaaaga ca -             #caatagga 1847                                                                    - - ctcgcaacag cattgactca acacctagga ctaaaaatca caacttaact ag -             #catgttaa 1907                                                                    - - ctgcactttt cattacgtga atggaactta cctaaccaca gggctcagac tt -             #actagata 1967                                                                    - - aaaccagaaa tggaaataag gaattcaggg gagttccaga gacttacaaa at -             #gaactcat 2027                                                                    - - tttattttcc caccttcaaa tataagtatt atcatctatc tgtttatcgt ct -             #atctatct 2087                                                                    - - atcatctatc tatctatcta tcatctatct atctatctat ctatctatct at -             #ctatctat 2147                                                                    - - ctatctatct atctctattt atttatgtat ttagagatca ggtctcactc tg -             #ttgaccag 2207                                                                    - - gctggagtgc agtggtgaga tctgggttca ctgcaacctc tgcctcctgg gc -             #tcaagcaa 2267                                                                    - - tcctcccact tcagcctccc aaatagctgg ggctaccatg gtatttttca gt -             #agagaccg 2327                                                                    - - ggtcttgcca tgctgcccag gccagtctca aactcctggc ctcatgtgat ct -             #gcccacct 2387                                                                    - - cagcctccca aagtacaggg attagagttg tgagccaccg ctgccagccc ag -             #agttaccc 2447                                                                    - - tctaaagata agaaaaaggc tattaatatc atactaagtg aaggacagga aa -             #gggtttta 2507                                                                    - - ttcataaatt aaatgtctac atgtgccaga atggaaagga aacaagggga ga -             #caactttt 2567                                                                    - - atagaaatac aaagccatta ctttattcaa tttcagaccc tcagaagcaa tt -             #tactaatt 2627                                                                    - - tattcttcga ctacatactg cagcagaacc agcaatacac ttgattttta aa -             #agcacatt 2687                                                                    - - tagtgaaatg ttttctttgg ttcatccttc tttaacaggc tgctgagtca ct -             #cagaaatc 2747                                                                    - - cttcaaacat gattaattat gaagatgaaa cactagagtc atataagaaa ta -             #aaaattgg 2807                                                                    - - gcaataaaat aaaatgattc agtgtttctt ttctatattg tcaatgaaaa cc -             #ttgagttc 2867                                                                    - - taataatcca tgttcagttt gtagggaaag aaaaaataat ttttccttct ac -             #ccacttta 2927                                                                    - - ggttccttgg ctggggcccc tataacaaaa gacagattga caagagaaaa ac -             #aaacataa 2987                                                                    - - atttattagc gggtatatgt aatatatatg tgggaaatac aggggaatga gc -             #aaatctca 3047                                                                    - - aagagctggc gtcttagaac tccctggctt atatagcatc gacaaagaac ag -             #taaatttt 3107                                                                    - - tagagaaaca acaaaacaaa gaaaaagagc tttgagtctg taggggcagc aa -             #tttggggg 3167                                                                    - - aagcaaatat atgggagttt gccttgtaga ttcctctggt ggtggtctcc ag -             #gctgacaa 3227                                                                    - - ggattcaaag ttgtctctga aactcctctt tgtcatactg cacatataaa ac -             #gtcttttg 3287                                                                    - - tttccaacaa gaggatttct ttttcattct agaattatct ccttgataac tt -             #gatcagat 3347                                                                    - - ataggacatg acactgaata gagtccaaca gtacaaaaaa aattcagtat gt -             #tctagcta 3407                                                                    - - cttcacacat gtgtacgcga cagttatttt tacagtaagg tattttcgag aa -             #aaatgcat 3467                                                                    - - tacgtgtttt ggaaaataga gtaatttaaa aaatatattt gaaatgaaaa tc -             #tccaacac 3527                                                                    - - attagaagat gatgatgtta gatgcccatc gtgtgccaca agtggttttt tc -             #attatgta 3587                                                                    - - aagcacccgt tgaattaaaa gaatttgttt ttgttcaacc tcttcctgag gc -             #ccaagagc 3647                                                                    - - atatgggcaa ttcggatttc ctgctggacc acaaggttct gttgatatta ca -             #tagaaacg 3707                                                                    - - ggtattccag acacttctta tgatgaaagt ccaaaagtgg catccaattt aa -             #ggccccat 3767                                                                    - - ctttcgttgc cattcttcat tcctacaaag gacgaacttg gattacatca ac -             #tttggacc 3827                                                                    - - cattggtttt gtcgctgtcg tcaactgaca gtgattcacc actggtgatg at -             #aaaaatga 3887                                                                    - - tggaagaaga gttgaaagtc acttttttct ttggcctgtc cccatctttc tg -             #tgacatca 3947                                                                    - - caatgggtct gatctgcatt tcacttccag ctgctggtag gtctttagca gg -             #cctctggc 4007                                                                    - - acctcagcag tcggaggcac agaagctgca aaagggatct tcgaaactgg gc -             #agagaaaa 4067                                                                    - - aataaagtgg aatattaagt aaaagttggg cactaatctg gattaacatt cg -             #aggaaatc 4127                                                                    - - agttgagctg atttaagttg ttttttgttt gttagcaggt gtggatgtgg gg -             #ttatgtgg 4187                                                                    - - tcatgctcag atctacctaa atcaccccag agctttatgt cttttattca tt -             #ctaaatct 4247                                                                    - - tattaaccgg aatatgtagg accatttcaa taccttgtaa tcctccaagc tt -             #caatctgc 4307                                                                    - - acacactttc tatgagggca ggtacaacta ttaagagatt ttgaacatta ag -             #ttagtcca 4367                                                                    - - caaatattca gtgggcatct actaggtgac agccactgtg ctataattag ag -             #acttttta 4427                                                                    - - ctataagcat caaaaacaga taaggctctt cctggcagag tttacagcct gg -             #tgtacttg 4487                                                                    - - ctaatgtctc tttaattagg tgaagaattt tttttttcta tcgaaattac ta -             #atcagttg 4547                                                                    - - gggaaaaaaa tactatagca gacagcacta atgtcatcaa caaacattgt tc -             #ttctccgt 4607                                                                    - - gtcctgggta caacatcgaa taatatttct tggcctcctt tccgcttctc ct -             #ctctgctg 4667                                                                    - - ttcctctcta caagaacctg ggaggccaac gcctaaagat cataatatca ca -             #atggaagg 4727                                                                    - - aacctagatt cctaaatgac tgcataggac agatcccatc tcctccaccc aa -             #tacattat 4787                                                                    - - tagactgaac tgtgacctga aatgagcaat aaactctgta ttaattcact ga -             #aatgttgg 4847                                                                    - - ggttgcttgt tatagtagtc ggtccatcat gaccagtaaa acataaatca aa -             #agttaatg 4907                                                                    - - taattgttat cccattattt agagcgaaat aaatgttgaa tatatggact tt -             #ctcagatt 4967                                                                    - - aggaaatacc aattaaaaat ataataaata gct       - #                  -       #     5000                                                                        - -  - - <210> SEQ ID NO 6                                                    <211> LENGTH: 486                                                              <212> TYPE: PRT                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens                                                    - - <400> SEQUENCE: 6                                                          - - Met Asp Ser Ser Val Ile Gln Arg Lys Lys Va - #l Ala Val Ile Gly         Gly                                                                                1               5 - #                 10 - #                 15              - - Gly Leu Val Gly Ser Leu Gln Ala Cys Phe Le - #u Ala Lys Arg Asn Phe                    20     - #             25     - #             30                   - - Gln Ile Asp Val Tyr Glu Ala Arg Glu Asp Th - #r Arg Val Ala Thr Phe                35         - #         40         - #         45                       - - Thr Arg Gly Arg Ser Ile Asn Leu Ala Leu Se - #r His Arg Gly Arg Gln            50             - #     55             - #     60                           - - Ala Leu Lys Ala Val Gly Leu Glu Asp Gln Il - #e Val Ser Gln Gly Ile        65                 - # 70                 - # 75                 - # 80        - - Pro Met Arg Ala Arg Met Ile His Ser Leu Se - #r Gly Lys Lys Ser Ala                        85 - #                 90 - #                 95               - - Ile Pro Tyr Gly Thr Lys Ser Gln Tyr Ile Le - #u Ser Val Ser Arg Glu                   100      - #           105      - #           110                   - - Asn Leu Asn Lys Asp Leu Leu Thr Ala Ala Gl - #u Lys Tyr Pro Asn Val               115          - #       120          - #       125                       - - Lys Met His Phe Asn His Arg Leu Leu Lys Cy - #s Asn Pro Glu Glu Gly           130              - #   135              - #   140                           - - Met Ile Thr Val Leu Gly Ser Asp Lys Val Pr - #o Lys Asp Val Thr Cys       145                 1 - #50                 1 - #55                 1 -       #60                                                                               - - Asp Leu Ile Val Gly Cys Asp Gly Ala Tyr Se - #r Thr Val Arg Ser         His                                                                                              165  - #               170  - #               175              - - Leu Met Lys Lys Pro Arg Phe Asp Tyr Ser Gl - #n Gln Tyr Ile Pro His                   180      - #           185      - #           190                   - - Gly Tyr Met Glu Leu Thr Ile Pro Pro Lys As - #n Gly Asp Tyr Ala Met               195          - #       200          - #       205                       - - Glu Pro Asn Tyr Leu His Ile Trp Pro Arg As - #n Thr Phe Met Met Ile           210              - #   215              - #   220                           - - Ala Leu Pro Asn Met Asn Lys Ser Phe Thr Cy - #s Thr Leu Phe Met Pro       225                 2 - #30                 2 - #35                 2 -       #40                                                                               - - Phe Glu Glu Phe Glu Lys Leu Leu Thr Ser As - #n Asp Val Val Asp         Phe                                                                                              245  - #               250  - #               255              - - Phe Gln Lys Tyr Phe Pro Asp Ala Ile Pro Le - #u Ile Gly Glu Lys Leu                   260      - #           265      - #           270                   - - Leu Val Gln Asp Phe Phe Leu Leu Pro Ala Gl - #n Pro Met Ile Ser Val               275          - #       280          - #       285                       - - Lys Cys Ser Ser Phe His Phe Lys Ser His Cy - #s Val Leu Leu Gly Asp           290              - #   295              - #   300                           - - Ala Ala His Ala Ile Val Pro Phe Phe Gly Gl - #n Gly Met Asn Ala Gly       305                 3 - #10                 3 - #15                 3 -       #20                                                                               - - Phe Glu Asp Cys Leu Val Phe Asp Glu Leu Me - #t Asp Lys Phe Ser         Asn                                                                                              325  - #               330  - #               335              - - Asp Leu Ser Leu Cys Leu Pro Val Phe Ser Ar - #g Leu Arg Ile Pro Asp                   340      - #           345      - #           350                   - - Asp His Ala Ile Ser Asp Leu Ser Met Tyr As - #n Tyr Ile Glu Met Arg               355          - #       360          - #       365                       - - Ala His Val Asn Ser Ser Trp Phe Ile Phe Gl - #n Lys Asn Met Glu Arg           370              - #   375              - #   380                           - - Phe Leu His Ala Ile Met Pro Ser Thr Phe Il - #e Pro Leu Tyr Thr Met       385                 3 - #90                 3 - #95                 4 -       #00                                                                               - - Val Thr Phe Ser Arg Ile Arg Tyr His Glu Al - #a Val Gln Arg Trp         His                                                                                              405  - #               410  - #               415              - - Trp Gln Lys Lys Val Ile Asn Lys Gly Leu Ph - #e Phe Leu Gly Ser Leu                   420      - #           425      - #           430                   - - Ile Ala Ile Ser Ser Thr Tyr Leu Leu Ile Hi - #s Tyr Met Ser Pro Arg               435          - #       440          - #       445                       - - Ser Phe Leu Cys Leu Arg Arg Pro Trp Asn Tr - #p Ile Ala His Phe Arg           450              - #   455              - #   460                           - - Asn Thr Thr Cys Phe Pro Ala Lys Ala Val As - #p Ser Leu Glu Gln Ile       465                 4 - #70                 4 - #75                 4 -       #80                                                                               - - Ser Asn Leu Ile Ser Arg                                                                   485                                                             - -  - - <210> SEQ ID NO 7                                                    <211> LENGTH: 27                                                               <212> TYPE: DNA                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence                                            <220> FEATURE:                                                                 <223> OTHER INFORMATION: Description of Artificial - #Sequence:SYNTHETIC            DNA                                                                       - - <400> SEQUENCE: 7                                                          - - caggaattcc atatggactc atctgtc          - #                  - #                  27                                                                       - -  - - <210> SEQ ID NO 8                                                    <211> LENGTH: 27                                                               <212> TYPE: DNA                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence                                            <220> FEATURE:                                                                 <223> OTHER INFORMATION: Description of Artificial - #Sequence:SYNTHETIC             DNA                                                                       - - <400> SEQUENCE: 8                                                          - - cgggatcccg ctatcacctg ctaatga          - #                  - #                  27                                                                       - -  - - <210> SEQ ID NO 9                                                    <211> LENGTH: 460                                                              <212> TYPE: PRT                                                                <213> ORGANISM: Saccharomyces cerevisiae                                        - - <400> SEQUENCE: 9                                                          - - Met Ser Glu Ser Val Ala Ile Ile Gly Ala Gl - #y Leu Val Gly Cys Leu         1               5 - #                 10 - #                 15               - - Ala Ala Leu Ala Phe Ser Lys Glu Gly Tyr As - #n Val Thr Leu Tyr Asp                    20     - #             25     - #             30                   - - Phe Arg Gln Asp His Arg Leu Asp Thr Thr Ly - #s Asn Lys Asn Leu Lys                35         - #         40         - #         45                       - - Ser Ile Asn Leu Ala Ile Ser Ala Arg Gly Il - #e Asp Ala Leu Lys Ser            50             - #     55             - #     60                           - - Ile Asp Pro Asp Ala Cys Glu His Ile Leu Gl - #n Asp Met Ile Pro Met        65                 - # 70                 - # 75                 - # 80        - - Lys Gly Arg Met Ile His Ser Leu Lys Gly Ar - #g Gln Glu Ser Gln Leu                        85 - #                 90 - #                 95               - - Tyr Gly Leu His Gly Glu Ala Ile Asn Ser Il - #e Asn Arg Ser Val Leu                   100      - #           105      - #           110                   - - Asn Asn Ser Leu Leu Asp Glu Leu Glu Lys Se - #r Thr Thr Glu Leu Lys               115          - #       120          - #       125                       - - Phe Gly His Lys Leu Val Lys Ile Glu Trp Th - #r Asp Asp Lys Gln Ile           130              - #   135              - #   140                           - - Cys His Phe Ala Ile Gly Glu Asp Leu Lys Th - #r Pro His Thr Glu Lys       145                 1 - #50                 1 - #55                 1 -       #60                                                                               - - Tyr Asp Phe Val Ile Gly Cys Asp Gly Ala Ty - #r Ser Ala Thr Arg         Ser                                                                                              165  - #               170  - #               175              - - Gln Met Gln Arg Lys Val Glu Met Asp Phe Se - #r Gln Glu Tyr Met Asn                   180      - #           185      - #           190                   - - Leu Arg Tyr Ile Glu Leu Tyr Ile Pro Pro Th - #r Glu Glu Phe Lys Pro               195          - #       200          - #       205                       - - Asn Tyr Gly Gly Asn Phe Ala Ile Ala Pro As - #p His Leu His Ile Trp           210              - #   215              - #   220                           - - Pro Arg His Lys Phe Met Leu Ile Ala Leu Al - #a Asn Ser Asp Gly Ser       225                 2 - #30                 2 - #35                 2 -       #40                                                                               - - Phe Thr Ser Thr Phe Phe Gly Ser Lys Asp Gl - #n Ile Ser Leu Leu         Thr                                                                                              245  - #               250  - #               255              - - Thr Ser Lys Ser Arg Val Arg Glu Phe Leu Il - #e Glu Asn Phe Pro Asp                   260      - #           265      - #           270                   - - Ile Ile Asn Ile Met Asp Leu Asp Asp Ala Va - #l Lys Phe Arg Ile Thr               275          - #       280          - #       285                       - - Tyr Pro Lys Glu Ser Leu Val Cys Val Asn Cy - #s Lys Pro Tyr Asp Val           290              - #   295              - #   300                           - - Pro Gly Gly Lys Ala Ile Leu Leu Gly Asp Al - #a Ala His Ala Met Val       305                 3 - #10                 3 - #15                 3 -       #20                                                                               - - Pro Phe Tyr Gly Gln Gly Met Asn Cys Gly Ph - #e Glu Asp Val Arg         Ile                                                                                              325  - #               330  - #               335              - - Leu Met Ala Leu Leu Lys Lys His Ser Gly As - #p Arg Ser Arg Ala Phe                   340      - #           345      - #           350                   - - Thr Glu Tyr Thr Gln Thr Arg His Lys Asp Le - #u Val Ser Ile Thr Glu               355          - #       360          - #       365                       - - Leu Ala Lys Arg Asn Tyr Lys Glu Met Ser Hi - #s Asp Val Ile Ser Lys           370              - #   375              - #   380                           - - Arg Phe Leu Leu Arg Lys Lys Leu Asp Ala Le - #u Phe Ser Ile Ile Met       385                 3 - #90                 3 - #95                 4 -       #00                                                                               - - Lys Asp Lys Trp Ile Pro Leu Tyr Thr Met Il - #e Ser Phe Arg Ser         Asp                                                                                              405  - #               410  - #               415              - - Ile Ser Tyr Ser Arg Ala Leu Glu Arg Ala Gl - #y Lys Gln Thr Arg Ile                   420      - #           425      - #           430                   - - Leu Lys His Leu Glu Ser Leu Thr Leu Gly Me - #t Leu Ser Ile Gly Gly               435          - #       440          - #       445                       - - Tyr Lys Leu Phe Lys Glu Leu Thr Arg Glu Ar - #g Ser                           450              - #   455              - #   460                         __________________________________________________________________________ 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated polynucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO:
 1. 2. An isolated polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 45 to 1481 of SEQ ID NO:1.
 3. An isolated polynucleotide, wherein said polynucleotide is complementary to the isolated polynucleotide of claim
 1. 4. An isolated polynucleotide which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 5. A polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:2.
 6. A polynucleotide which encodes the polypeptide of claim
 5. 7. The polynucleotide of claim 6, consisting of nucleotides 45 to 1481 of SEQ ID NO:1.
 8. A vector comprising the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 9. The vector of claim 8, wherein said vector is a plasmid or a virus.
 10. A host cell comprising the polynucleotide of claim
 1. 11. The host cell of claim 10 wherein said host cell is selected from the group consisting of a bacterial cell, a yeast cell, an insect cell, and a mammalian cell.
 12. A method of transiently expressing a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:2, which process comprisesextracting total mRNA from the tissues of a mammalian organism; generating a cDNA expression library by reverse transcription of said mRNA; obtaining RNA in vitro from said cDNA library; injecting the RNA into Xenopus oocytes; measuring the enzymatic activity; dividing said library into several pools; selecting a positive clone containing the polynucleotide of claim 6; linearizing the plasmid DNA extracted from the positive clone; synthesizing the cRNA from said DNA; and injecting said cRNA into Xenopus laevis oocytes.
 13. An isolated polynucleotide comprising SEQ ID NO:3.
 14. An isolated polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 34 to 1494 of SEQ ID NO:3.
 15. An isolated polynucleotide, wherein said polynucleotide is complementary to the isolated polynucleotide of claim
 13. 16. An isolated polynucleotide which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide of claim
 13. 17. A polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:4.
 18. A polynucleotide which encodes the polypeptide of claim
 17. 19. The polynucleotide of claim 18, consisting of nucleotides 34 to 1494 of SEQ ID NO:3.
 20. A vector comprising the polynucleotide of claim
 13. 21. The vector of claim 20, wherein said vector is a plasmid or a virus.
 22. A host cell comprising the polynucleotide of claim
 13. 23. The host cell of claim 22, wherein said host cell is selected from the group consisting of a bacterial cell, a yeast cell, an insect cell, and a mammalian cell.
 24. A method of transiently expressing a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 4, comprising:extracting total mRNA from the tissues of a mammalian organism; generating a cDNA expression library by reverse transcription of said mRNA; obtaining RNA in vitro from said cDNA library; injecting the RNA into Xenopus oocytes; measuring the enzymatic activity; dividing said library into several pools; selecting a positive clone containing the polynucleotide of claim 18; linearizing the plasmid DNA extracted from the positive clone; synthesizing the cRNA from said DNA; and injecting said cRNA into Xenopus laevis oocytes. 